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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bound — obliged
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wake — a trail
  10. stock — shares
  11. object — an aim
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stock — goods
  14. rush — hurry
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. lean — thin
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. lean — to bend
  21. object — a thing
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. object — to protest
  24. bound — certain

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