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: drill · arm · rock · wax · foot · board · tear · leaves

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. board — a committee
  3. drill — army training
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. rock — music
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. tear — from crying
  12. drill — a practice
  13. board — to get on
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rock — a stone
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. tear — from crying
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. tear — to rip
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. drill — the tool

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