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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. staff — employees
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. season — of the year
  7. spell — a short time
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. drill — the tool
  10. season — in sport
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. lie — to recline
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. drill — army training
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. wax — to grow
  17. spell — magic
  18. staff — employees
  19. kick — in football
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. staff — a stick
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. spell — letters
  24. wake — a trail

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