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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. land — ground
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. club — for golf
  8. mate — a partner
  9. face — to confront
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mark — a trace
  12. club — a group
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wax — to grow
  15. face — to point toward
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. land — to come down
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. land — a country

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