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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. pitch — completely
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rock — music
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rush — hurry
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rush — a thrill

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