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: last · pass · bark · racket · roll · wax · plane · leaves

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bark — to shout
  12. roll — a cake
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pass — a permit
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. last — finally
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. last — to go on
  20. wax — to grow
  21. last — final
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. roll — a list

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