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: pass · wax · content · wake · root · bowl · wave · saw

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wax — to grow
  3. content — the amount
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. wake — a trail
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. root — of a word
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pass — a permit
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. root — the cause
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. content — happy
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. root — of a plant

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