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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mate — a partner
  12. wax — to grow
  13. roll — a cake
  14. can — a tin
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rash — a series
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mate — a friend
  21. roll — a list
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mate — to breed
  24. can — a tin

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