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: current · wax · object · fall · cell · track · season · stand

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. season — of the year
  3. track — to keep track
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. wax — to grow
  7. object — a thing
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fall — to drop
  10. object — to protest
  11. fall — the season
  12. cell — in biology
  13. current — electric
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. object — an aim
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. track — a path
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — in sport
  22. track — a song
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cell — a phone

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