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 black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chest — a box
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rest — a break
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. suit — to fit
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. suit — in cards
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rest — what's left
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chest — of your body

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