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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. board — to get on
  4. spring — the season
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. tube — a container
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. board — a committee
  11. spring — of water
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bore — to tire
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bore — to drill
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bore — gave birth

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