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 120 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wax — to grow
  5. season — in sport
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. spring — of water
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mug — a cup
  13. season — of the year
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rush — hurry
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. spring — a coil

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