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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. toast — bread
  6. cap — a lid
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. face — to point toward
  9. row — to paddle
  10. face — to confront
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cap — a hat
  14. face — part of the head
  15. fine — all right
  16. row — a line
  17. fine — high quality
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. deal — to handle
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. cap — of ice
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wake — before a funeral

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