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: rest · safe · rock · dip · chest · wax · straw · track

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. track — a path
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. rest — a break
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — a box
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. rock — music
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. track — a song
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. wax — for sculpting

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