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: suit · branch · spell · field · drill · tube · wax · stem

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. wax — to grow
  3. field — for sport
  4. spell — magic
  5. drill — a practice
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. suit — clothes
  11. drill — the tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. spell — letters
  15. field — a subject
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. tube — a container
  18. branch — a division
  19. field — farmland
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stem — to come from
  23. suit — to fit
  24. drill — army training

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