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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. land — a country
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. last — to go on
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. last — final
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. last — finally
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. bore — to tire
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. tear — from crying
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wax — to grow
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bore — gave birth

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