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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. object — to protest
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. object — an aim
  14. bank — for money
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — a subject
  17. fine — all right
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wax — to grow
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. field — farmland
  24. object — a thing

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