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 116 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 · board · perch · club · suit · bear · face · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. club — for golf
  3. board — to get on
  4. suit — in cards
  5. board — a committee
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bear — the animal
  12. club — a group
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. wax — to grow
  16. club — for dancing
  17. suit — to fit
  18. face — to point toward
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. face — to confront
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. suit — clothes
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. perch — the fish

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