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 120 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: firm · leaves · coach · wax · field · fine · hide · sharp

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. field — a subject
  5. firm — steady
  6. field — for sport
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. field — farmland
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. fine — all right
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. firm — decided
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wax — to grow
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. firm — a company
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fine — high quality

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