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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. staff — employees
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. land — ground
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. land — a country
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wax — to grow
  18. fork — in a road
  19. saw — the tool
  20. land — to come down
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. staff — a stick

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