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: snap · ball · stick · game · current · arm · last · wax

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. wax — to grow
  7. last — final
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. last — to go on
  10. game — wild animals
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. current — happening now
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ball — a dance
  18. last — finally
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ball — a great time
  21. snap — to click
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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