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 120 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. season — in sport
  13. content — happy
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. content — the amount
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. season — of the year
  19. rash — a series
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stem — to come from
  24. rash — hasty

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