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 116 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: mark · stand · mate · sharp · leaves · wax · cold · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cold — an illness
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cold — not warm
  7. pop — soda
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pop — to visit
  12. sharp — clever
  13. mate — to breed
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mark — a grade
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mark — to pay attention

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