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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fall — the season
  16. net — in sport
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. fall — to drop
  22. net — after costs
  23. pass — a permit
  24. hide — to keep secret

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