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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in 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. spring — of water
  2. file — a tool
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. file — a line of people
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. spring — the season
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. spring — a coil
  12. file — a document
  13. saw — the tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chest — a box
  18. craft — boats
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chest — of your body
  21. craft — a skill
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. chest — of your 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