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: branch · wave · net · wax · rock · straw · spell · swing

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. spell — a short time
  6. net — in sport
  7. wax — to grow
  8. net — for catching
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. spell — magic
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. spell — letters
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. branch — a division
  19. swing — in golf
  20. net — after costs
  21. swing — music
  22. rock — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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