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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wax — to grow
  4. key — in music
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. root — the cause
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. fall — the season
  9. snap — to click
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. content — the amount
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. content — happy
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. branch — a division
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. fall — to drop
  24. branch — of a tree

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