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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mark — a trace
  3. land — to come down
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wake — a trail
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mate — to breed
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. mark — a grade
  17. land — ground
  18. wax — to grow
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. land — a country
  22. row — a line
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. fan — a supporter

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