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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a ring
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wax — to grow
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. snap — to click
  13. current — happening now
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. current — electric
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mouse — the animal

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