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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bound — obliged
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bound — tied together
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stock — goods
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bound — certain
  14. cap — of ice
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. stock — shares
  17. cap — a lid
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. stand — to bear
  22. row — a line
  23. chair — a leader
  24. row — to paddle

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