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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. track — a path
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stock — goods
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. track — to keep track
  10. board — a committee
  11. stock — shares
  12. board — to get on
  13. track — a song
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mug — a cup
  17. staff — a stick
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. staff — employees
  21. mug — to rob
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. staff — employees
  24. mug — a face

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