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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bore — to drill
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bore — to tire
  5. spell — letters
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — in cards
  8. club — for golf
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. suit — to fit
  11. net — in sport
  12. club — a group
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. net — after costs
  16. club — for dancing
  17. spell — magic
  18. suit — clothes

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