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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wound — an injury
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. staff — a stick
  12. branch — a division
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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