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: shower · pass · wax · nail · last · rash · coach · track

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. shower — rain
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. shower — to wash
  11. track — a path
  12. last — finally
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rash — a series
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. track — a song
  17. last — final
  18. wax — to grow
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. last — to go on

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