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 120 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: cap · drill · rush · rest · spring · row · wax · stand

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. drill — army training
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — a hat
  8. row — a line
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. row — to paddle
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wax — to grow
  15. cap — a lid
  16. spring — of water
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. drill — a practice
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rush — hurry
  23. spring — the season
  24. stand — for spectators

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