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: band · wake · stand · object · shower · mug · wax · branch

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stand — to bear
  4. object — to protest
  5. wax — to grow
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. object — a thing
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. branch — a division
  10. band — a ring
  11. shower — to wash
  12. mug — a face
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. shower — rain
  16. object — an aim
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. band — a music group

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