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: wax · fork · trunk · chip · content · date · wave · leaves

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chip — to eat
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. date — the fruit
  14. content — the amount
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. chip — for betting
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. content — happy

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