ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · mouse · cabinet · last · wax · stem · net · rest

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. net — for catching
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rest — a break
  16. last — final
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. net — in sport
  20. wax — to grow
  21. net — after costs
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. last — to go on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com