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

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. spring — a coil
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. present — there
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. present — the time now
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. present — a gift
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. spring — of water
  21. toast — bread
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. spring — the season
  24. wave — with your hand

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