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: squash · rest · wax · wave · rock · cold · chair · bank

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bank — for money
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. bank — for money
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. cold — an illness
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. rest — a break
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. rock — music
  16. wax — to grow
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. cold — not warm

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