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: hand · wake · track · current · wax · mug · key · chip

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. wax — to grow
  3. current — electric
  4. mug — to rob
  5. current — of water
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. chip — for betting
  12. hand — help
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. track — a song
  15. hand — in cards
  16. track — a path
  17. mug — a face
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. current — happening now
  24. mug — a cup

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