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: fall · can · wax · wave · roll · scale · bore · file

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. file — a line of people
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. file — a document
  7. can — to be able to
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bore — to tire
  10. can — a tin
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fall — to drop
  13. scale — in music
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wax — to grow
  16. can — a tin
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. roll — a list
  19. file — a tool
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fall — the season
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. wave — of the sea

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