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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. row — a line
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stem — to come from
  6. land — ground
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. land — to come down
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. land — a country
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. row — to paddle
  24. nail — for a hammer

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