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: face · drill · object · season · court · perch · fall · wax

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. perch — the fish
  3. season — in sport
  4. drill — the tool
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wax — to grow
  7. object — a thing
  8. court — for sport
  9. object — to protest
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. court — of a king
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. court — of law
  17. season — of the year
  18. object — an aim
  19. fall — to drop
  20. face — to point toward
  21. drill — army training
  22. fall — the season
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. drill — a practice

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