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 · season · wax · swing · saw · lean · vault · land

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. wax — to grow
  3. land — to come down
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. saw — the tool
  7. craft — boats
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. lean — thin
  12. swing — music
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — a skill
  16. vault — a safe
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. season — of the year
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lean — to bend
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. land — a country

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