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 · fork · perch · wave · wax · key · rush · cell

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cell — a phone
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wax — to grow
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — in a road
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cell — in biology
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. perch — the fish
  24. key — for a lock

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