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: present · spell · wax · face · last · temple · toast · pop

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. toast — bread
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. face — part of the head
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. face — to confront
  15. spell — letters
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. spell — magic
  20. present — a gift
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pop — music
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. face — to point toward

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