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: current · rest · ruler · hand · wax · fan · sharp · pitcher

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. current — electric
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. current — happening now
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. sharp — clever
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rest — a break
  19. hand — help
  20. current — of water
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. hand — in cards
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. hand — part of the body

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