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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. club — for golf
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rock — music
  8. club — a group
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. club — for dancing
  13. branch — a division
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rule — government
  17. wake — a trail
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. rule — a law
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bore — to tire

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