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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. craft — boats
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. craft — a skill
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. last — to go on
  13. rest — a break
  14. last — finally
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mate — to breed
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. drill — a practice
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mate — a partner
  21. last — final
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mate — a friend

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