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: cap · can · fan · fine · craft · date · rash · wax

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. rash — hasty
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — boats
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. can — a tin
  9. rash — a series
  10. date — the fruit
  11. can — to be able to
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. cap — of ice
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fine — high quality
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fine — all right

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