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: face · roll · wake · suit · rash · ball · wax · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rash — a series
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wax — to grow
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bound — tied together
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bound — certain
  16. face — to confront
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wake — a trail
  24. ball — a round shape

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