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: wake · file · coach · ruler · wax · kid · dip · perch

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. file — a tool
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. file — a line of people
  7. kid — to tease
  8. kid — child
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. perch — the fish
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. dip — to sink
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. wax — to grow
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. file — a document
  24. perch — for a bird

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