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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. craft — boats
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — for sport
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. board — to get on
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. content — happy
  21. board — a committee
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. cue — for pool
  24. craft — a skill

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