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: mug · arm · wax · sharp · dip · mine · current · snap

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. current — of water
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mug — a face
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. current — electric
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. current — happening now
  16. mug — to rob
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. snap — to click
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mug — a cup
  23. wax — to grow
  24. arm — a part of something

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