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 116 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: bore · craft · key · wake · board · cell · wax · club

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. board — a committee
  3. bore — to tire
  4. cell — in biology
  5. club — a group
  6. wake — a trail
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bore — to drill
  12. wax — to grow
  13. craft — boats
  14. key — in music
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. craft — a skill
  17. board — to get on
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. key — for a lock
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wake — before a funeral

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