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: coach · club · cell · season · wax · can · spring · bear

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cell — in biology
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — of water
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. season — of the year
  13. club — for golf
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. can — a tin
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. spring — the season
  20. club — a group
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. cell — a phone
  24. club — for dancing

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