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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. suit — in cards
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fork — in a road
  13. craft — boats
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. snap — to click
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. season — of the year
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. season — in sport

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