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: spell · rock · wake · stick · wax · face · drill · wind

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. face — to confront
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wake — a trail
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rock — a stone
  10. spell — magic
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wax — to grow
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. drill — army training
  18. rock — music
  19. drill — the tool
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wind — moving air
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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