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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bat — the animal
  5. pound — a weight
  6. wax — to grow
  7. club — a group
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. capital — money
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. club — for golf
  17. capital — a city
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. club — for dancing

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