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: lean · cap · sharp · current · bay · wax · bore · spell

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wax — to grow
  5. spell — magic
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. spell — a short time
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lean — thin
  11. current — electric
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. current — happening now
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. spell — letters
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. cap — a lid
  21. sharp — clever
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. current — of water

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