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: suit · press · wax · game · cell · row · lash · object

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. object — a thing
  3. game — a match
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. game — wild animals
  7. press — newspapers
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. press — to push
  12. cell — in biology
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. row — a line
  17. object — an aim
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — a phone
  22. row — to paddle
  23. press — a publisher
  24. object — to protest

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