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: wind · wax · pitch · bound · row · roll · pass · rest

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pitch — completely
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. row — to paddle
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rest — what's left
  12. row — a line
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rest — a break
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bound — certain
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wind — moving air
  24. roll — a cake

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