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 124 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. shower — rain
  3. mark — a trace
  4. spring — a coil
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mark — a grade
  7. spring — of water
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cap — a lid
  11. shower — to wash
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. board — to get on
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. board — a committee
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. spring — the season
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cap — a hat

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