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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. chest — of your body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. chest — a box
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wax — to grow
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. chest — of your 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