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 ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — to grow
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. last — final
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rock — a stone
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wind — moving air
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wave — of the sea

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