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: rash · pass · wax · kid · pitch · toast · bear · cabinet

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wax — to grow
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pass — a permit
  7. toast — bread
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bear — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rash — a series
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. kid — to tease
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. kid — child
  24. pitch — completely

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