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: tear · pass · wind · cue · season · wax · staff · track

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. season — of the year
  3. wax — to grow
  4. staff — employees
  5. track — to keep track
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. staff — employees
  12. season — in sport
  13. wind — moving air
  14. tear — from crying
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. track — a song
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. track — a path
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. wax — for sculpting

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