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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. band — a ring
  3. season — of the year
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rest — what's left
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fine — high quality
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. season — in sport
  17. rest — a break
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. band — a music group
  24. season — to add flavour

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