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: firm · lean · cap · club · land · row · fork · wax

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lean — to bend
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wax — to grow
  6. club — for golf
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. row — a line
  9. firm — a company
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. firm — steady
  12. land — ground
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. cap — a hat
  15. club — for dancing
  16. row — to paddle
  17. lean — thin
  18. firm — decided
  19. cap — of ice
  20. land — to come down
  21. club — a group
  22. land — a country
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. fork — a garden tool

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