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: foot · bay · board · file · fork · wax · land · mug

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. file — a document
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. foot — a measure
  9. board — to get on
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wax — to grow
  13. land — ground
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mug — a face
  16. file — a tool
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mug — a cup
  19. land — to come down
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. file — a line of people
  22. board — a committee
  23. land — a country
  24. bay — a horse colour

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