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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. key — for a lock
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wax — to grow
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. wound — an injury
  11. swing — in golf
  12. key — the most important part
  13. row — a line
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. swing — music
  16. wound — an injury
  17. swing — to play on
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. press — to push
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. key — in music

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