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: nail · wind · foot · wave · chip · wax · pound · leaves

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. chip — for betting
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pound — a weight
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wind — moving air
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wind — moving air
  24. nail — for a hammer

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