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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mark — a trace
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. season — in sport
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pound — a weight
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pass — a permit
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. wax — to grow
  21. season — of the year
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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