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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bass — low music
  3. craft — boats
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rest — a break
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rest — what's left
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rest — what's left
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. saw — the tool
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. craft — a skill
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. saw — the tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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