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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pound — a weight
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pop — music
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — to get on
  19. wake — a trail
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. date — on the calendar

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