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: pass · wax · file · degree · pitch · stand · land · squash

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. file — a line of people
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. stand — to bear
  7. land — ground
  8. degree — an amount
  9. file — a document
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. land — a country
  12. wax — to grow
  13. degree — from a university
  14. pitch — completely
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. file — a tool
  20. degree — temperature
  21. pass — a permit
  22. land — to come down
  23. squash — to crush
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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