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 124 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wax — to grow
  4. object — an aim
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — to fit
  8. object — to protest
  9. can — a tin
  10. rest — what's left
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. object — a thing
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — to be able to
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. wake — a trail
  19. face — part of the head
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. suit — in cards

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