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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. prune — to trim
  6. current — of water
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. wake — a trail
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. racket — for tennis

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