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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. wound — an injury
  11. scale — in music
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wax — to grow
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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