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: squash · wake · nail · lean · lie · face · wax · temple

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. squash — to crush
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. face — to confront
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lie — to recline
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. wax — to grow
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wake — a trail
  24. squash — the sport

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