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 · lean · chip · file · lash · scale · clip · bowl

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. chip — for betting
  4. clip — to cut
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. scale — size or range
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. clip — for paper
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lean — thin
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a tool
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. clip — a video
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. file — a line of people

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