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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. land — ground
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. craft — boats
  8. stand — to bear
  9. land — to come down
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. land — a country
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. coach — a trainer

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