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: saw · wax · bear · rest · board · stand · clip · deal

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. board — a committee
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rest — what's left
  7. deal — to handle
  8. saw — the tool
  9. clip — to cut
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rest — a break
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. clip — a video
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. clip — for paper
  19. wax — to grow
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rest — what's left
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bear — the animal

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