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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. staff — a stick
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. staff — employees
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. object — an aim
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. toast — bread
  16. perch — the fish
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. object — to protest
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. staff — employees
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wax — to grow

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