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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. sharp — clever
  4. shower — to wash
  5. current — happening now
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. lean — thin
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. shower — rain
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bear — the animal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lean — to bend
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. current — of water
  19. key — for a lock
  20. current — electric
  21. key — in music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. key — the most important part

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