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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. staff — employees
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. band — a music group
  13. staff — a stick
  14. wind — moving air
  15. staff — employees
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bat — the animal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bore — gave birth

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