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: wake · wax · tube · firm · squash · present · cell · rule

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. firm — decided
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. cell — a phone
  6. firm — steady
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. firm — a company
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. squash — the sport
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. present — there
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rule — a law
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. present — a gift
  23. rule — government
  24. squash — to crush

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