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 · staff · spell · net · wax · bound · wake · mark

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. spell — magic
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bound — obliged
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. spell — a short time
  11. staff — employees
  12. bound — certain
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. spell — letters
  20. staff — employees
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. current — electric
  24. net — in sport

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