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: wax · board · lash · pit · sharp · pass · nail · wound

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — to get on
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. sharp — clever
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wax — to grow
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pit — a hole
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. board — a committee
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — an injury
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pit — in a race

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