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: rash · bore · mine · cap · craft · jam · club · wax

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. cap — a hat
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. craft — boats
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rash — hasty
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. wax — to grow
  16. cap — a lid
  17. club — for dancing
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bore — to drill
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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