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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ground — a position
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. hand — in cards
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. hand — help
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. current — happening now
  14. fork — in a road
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ground — crushed
  21. current — electric
  22. ground — the earth
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wax — for sculpting

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