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: wake · pitcher · suit · band · stick · board · degree · wax

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. degree — temperature
  3. suit — to fit
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. board — a committee
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. suit — in cards
  10. band — a ring
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. band — a music group
  18. degree — an amount
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. board — to get on
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wax — to grow
  24. degree — from a university

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