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: season · tube · wax · current · coach · rock · hand · dip

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rock — music
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. current — electric
  7. wax — to grow
  8. tube — a container
  9. season — of the year
  10. current — of water
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rock — a stone
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. tube — the underground
  17. season — in sport
  18. hand — help
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. current — happening now
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. dip — a sauce

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