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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. spell — a short time
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. spell — letters
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. spell — magic
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. track — a song
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. rush — hurry
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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