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: fine · bore · band · cap · foot · net · wound · wax

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. cap — a lid
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. cap — of ice
  5. band — a music group
  6. net — for catching
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fine — all right
  12. band — a ring
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bore — to tire
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. net — after costs
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wound — an injury
  24. net — in sport

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