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: temple · pit · wax · mug · swing · wake · mark · spring

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mug — a face
  3. swing — music
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mug — to rob
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wake — a trail
  20. swing — in golf
  21. spring — of water
  22. swing — to play on
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wax — in the ear

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