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: bay · wax · fine · rush · craft · drill · last · press

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. press — newspapers
  5. last — finally
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. last — to go on
  8. craft — boats
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rush — hurry
  11. drill — the tool
  12. wax — to grow
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. press — to push
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. craft — a skill
  22. drill — army training
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. last — final

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