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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. current — electric
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wind — moving air
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wound — an injury
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. board — a committee
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — of water
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. current — happening now
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wax — in the ear

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