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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. face — to point toward
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. court — of law
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. face — part of the head
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of a king
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. face — to confront
  14. last — final
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pass — a permit
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. branch — a division
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. last — to go on
  23. wax — to grow
  24. last — finally

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