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: pitcher · file · plane · wave · wax · mine · row · hide

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. file — a line of people
  4. row — a line
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. file — a document
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mine — for digging
  13. file — a tool
  14. plane — a tool
  15. row — to paddle
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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