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: bound · chair · wave · rash · club · racket · wax · ball

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. club — for dancing
  6. ball — a dance
  7. club — for golf
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wax — to grow
  12. rash — hasty
  13. club — a group
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bound — certain
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. rash — a series
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bound — obliged
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. ball — a great time

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