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: spring · wax · temple · track · bark · rock · cap · leaves

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. spring — of water
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. track — a path
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. track — a song
  9. rock — music
  10. cap — of ice
  11. spring — a coil
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cap — a lid
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. cap — a hat
  21. track — to keep track
  22. spring — the season
  23. rock — a stone
  24. leaves — of a tree

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