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: scale · wax · bear · object · bank · file · mate · fall

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bank — for money
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. file — a tool
  7. scale — size or range
  8. file — a document
  9. scale — in music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. object — an aim
  12. mate — a friend
  13. file — a line of people
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bank — for money
  18. fall — the season
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. object — to protest
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — a thing
  23. mate — to breed
  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