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: stand · mug · wax · fan · wind · prune · sharp · stock

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mug — a face
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stock — goods
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stock — shares
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. sharp — clever
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stand — to bear

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