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: mine · fall · wax · wake · row · stand · bay · rush

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mine — for digging
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rush — hurry
  10. row — to paddle
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. fall — the season
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. row — a line
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. fall — to drop

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