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 · wave · pitcher · fine · present · ball · cap · board

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — all right
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. present — there
  13. board — to get on
  14. cap — a hat
  15. present — the time now
  16. fine — high quality
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. board — a committee

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