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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wound — an injury
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. last — finally
  10. current — happening now
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wound — an injury
  15. charge — in control
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. current — of water
  23. charge — a price
  24. current — electric

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