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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. charge — in control
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — a trail
  6. degree — from a university
  7. object — to protest
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. track — a path
  10. degree — an amount
  11. charge — electricity
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. degree — temperature
  23. object — a thing
  24. charge — a price

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