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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bore — to tire
  3. wax — to grow
  4. branch — a division
  5. craft — a skill
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. key — the most important part
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fall — the season
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. craft — boats
  17. bore — to drill
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. key — in music
  24. fall — to drop

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