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: craft · rush · rest · wax · hide · wave · court · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. court — of a king
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. court — of law
  10. wax — to grow
  11. craft — boats
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. court — for sport
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. can — a tin
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. can — to be able to
  24. hide — animal skin

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