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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rest — a break
  6. drill — army training
  7. clip — for paper
  8. press — newspapers
  9. clip — a video
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. press — to push
  20. saw — the tool
  21. drill — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wax — for sculpting

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