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: wax · stem · face · pound · nail · object · present · bear

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. present — the time now
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bear — the animal
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pound — a weight
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. face — to point toward
  15. object — an aim
  16. present — there
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stem — to come from
  19. face — to confront
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wax — to grow
  24. object — to protest

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