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: cap · present · wax · craft · lean · stock · bore · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. mug — to rob
  5. stock — goods
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. present — the time now
  9. stock — shares
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — a hat
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. craft — boats
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mug — a cup
  17. present — a gift
  18. cap — of ice
  19. present — there
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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