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: file · object · shower · mark · mug · season · wake · wax

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. object — to protest
  3. mug — to rob
  4. file — a line of people
  5. season — of the year
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mark — a trace
  9. file — a tool
  10. object — an aim
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. shower — rain
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. mark — a grade
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — a thing
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. season — in sport
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. shower — to wash
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. file — a document
  24. mug — a face

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