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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bound — obliged
  3. current — electric
  4. bound — certain
  5. current — happening now
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wax — to grow
  9. current — of water
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. clip — a video
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. clip — to cut
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. clip — for paper
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. racket — for tennis

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