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: suit · last · coach · chip · ball · spring · wax · bore

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. spring — of water
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ball — a great time
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. last — to go on
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. last — final
  12. spring — a coil
  13. wax — to grow
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bore — to drill
  18. spring — the season
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chip — for betting
  21. ball — a dance
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wax — in the ear

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