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: bank · content · bound · shower · object · wax · fan · sharp

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bound — certain
  4. object — to protest
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wax — to grow
  7. content — happy
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bank — for money
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. object — a thing
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — clever
  15. object — an aim
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. shower — rain
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bound — obliged
  24. content — the amount

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