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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rock — music
  3. press — a publisher
  4. present — a gift
  5. drill — army training
  6. wax — to grow
  7. land — a country
  8. drill — a practice
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. land — to come down
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. drill — the tool
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. rock — a stone
  24. land — ground

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