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: track · pass · tear · mouse · wax · wind · object · foot

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. foot — a measure
  3. object — an aim
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. tear — to rip
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. object — a thing
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. object — to protest
  22. tear — from crying
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pass — a permit

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