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 · plane · march · rock · wax · arm · rest · bear

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. march — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. march — the month
  6. rock — a stone
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rest — a break
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rest — what's left
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. march — the month
  20. rock — music
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rest — what's left
  23. plane — a tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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