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: bay · wax · wake · object · press · court · lean · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lean — to bend
  4. court — of a king
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — an aim
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lean — thin
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wake — a trail
  12. court — for sport
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. press — newspapers
  16. court — of law
  17. press — to push
  18. object — to protest
  19. wax — to grow
  20. object — a thing
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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