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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · stick · wax · land · squash · coach · deal · board

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. current — electric
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. land — a country
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. land — to come down
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. land — ground
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. board — to get on
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. board — a committee
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wax — for sculpting

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