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 120 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bass — the fish
  9. last — finally
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. firm — steady
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. last — final
  18. capital — money
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bass — low music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. capital — a city
  24. ruler — for measuring

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