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: club · wax · rock · wake · saw · ball · sharp · craft

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. craft — boats
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rock — a stone
  6. club — for dancing
  7. craft — a skill
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. saw — the tool
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rock — music
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wake — a trail
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. club — for golf
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. club — a group
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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