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 116 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: saw · snap · pass · wax · bat · ground · mouse · key

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ground — a position
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. wax — to grow
  10. snap — to click
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. saw — the tool
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. key — for a lock
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pass — a permit
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bat — the animal
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bat — in an idiom

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