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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — certain
  3. cue — for pool
  4. current — of water
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. tear — to rip
  9. drill — a practice
  10. cue — a signal
  11. wax — to grow
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. current — electric
  14. bound — obliged
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. drill — army training
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. drill — the tool
  22. current — happening now
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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