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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. saw — the tool
  4. march — music
  5. club — for golf
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rest — a break
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bass — low music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. club — a group
  17. wax — to grow
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. saw — the tool
  20. march — the month
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rest — what's left
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. march — the month

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