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: rush · fine · kid · bank · capital · wax · dip · wave

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. fine — high quality
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. fine — all right
  6. rush — hurry
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bank — of a river
  13. kid — child
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bank — for money
  16. capital — a city
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. capital — money
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — to tease
  24. wax — to grow

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