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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. key — in music
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wax — to grow
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rule — government

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