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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — a cake
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. chest — a box
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bark — to shout
  20. roll — a list
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. chest — of your body
  24. stand — to bear

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