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 116 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rock — music
  7. wax — to grow
  8. club — for dancing
  9. ground — crushed
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. ground — a position
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. club — for golf
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. hand — help
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. club — a group

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