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: racket · pound · firm · face · coach · rash · wax · bank

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. firm — a company
  3. rash — hasty
  4. face — part of the head
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — a weight
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bank — for money
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. face — to point toward
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. face — to confront
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. rash — a series
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rash — on the skin

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