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: track · last · fall · suit · key · leaves · lie · wax

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. last — final
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. last — to go on
  6. suit — to fit
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. suit — clothes
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. fall — the season
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. key — in music
  15. track — a path
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lie — to recline
  18. last — finally
  19. key — the most important part
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wax — to grow
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fall — to drop

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