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 120 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 · spell · lie · arm · field · scale · bay · suit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. suit — to fit
  3. field — for sport
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. suit — in cards
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. spell — magic
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. spell — letters
  14. field — farmland
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wax — to grow
  18. spell — a short time
  19. field — a subject
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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