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 120 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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. wax — to grow
  6. mug — a cup
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. board — a committee
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mug — a face
  14. pop — soda
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mug — to rob
  17. board — to get on
  18. charge — a price
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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