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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. key — the most important part
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. capital — a city
  12. board — a committee
  13. tear — from crying
  14. rest — what's left
  15. board — to get on
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tear — to rip
  24. key — in music

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