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: nail · bore · wax · hide · club · mate · squash · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. club — for golf
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bore — to drill
  5. squash — to crush
  6. club — a group
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wax — to grow
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. lean — thin

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