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: roll · wave · spell · file · march · net · wax · pit

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. file — a tool
  4. roll — a cake
  5. file — a line of people
  6. march — music
  7. spell — a short time
  8. net — in sport
  9. wax — to grow
  10. file — a document
  11. spell — magic
  12. net — for catching
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. net — after costs
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. march — the month
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. march — the month
  21. spell — letters
  22. roll — a list
  23. pit — in a race
  24. roll — on a roll

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