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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wake — a trail
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — to grow
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. swing — to play on
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rock — music
  17. swing — music
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — a container
  23. rock — a stone
  24. swing — in golf

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