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 124 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: wax · leaves · saw · ruler · lash · charge · dip · cold

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. charge — a price
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cold — not warm
  13. wax — to grow
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. cold — an illness
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. leaves — to go away

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