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 120 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: wax · tear · wave · staff · safe · pitch · chip · spring

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. spring — of water
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. staff — employees
  5. chip — for betting
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitch — completely
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. tear — from crying
  15. spring — the season
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. tear — from crying
  19. spring — a coil
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. tear — to rip
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. staff — employees

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