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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. wax — to grow
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. root — of a word
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. root — the cause
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wound — an injury
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. root — of a plant

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