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 116 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: fine · club · wax · net · fork · dip · rush · fan

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. net — for catching
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wax — to grow
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. club — for golf
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. net — in sport
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. club — a group
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. net — after costs
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fork — in a road
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fine — high quality

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