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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wax — to grow
  3. land — ground
  4. land — to come down
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. game — wild animals
  7. land — a country
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a ring
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. band — a music group
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rash — a series
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. game — a match

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