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 · suit · wake · race · march · current · bowl · can

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. suit — in cards
  3. march — the month
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wax — to grow
  6. race — a contest
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. march — music
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wake — a trail
  13. suit — clothes
  14. current — electric
  15. can — a tin
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. race — the arms race
  19. suit — to fit
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. march — the month
  24. race — humankind

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