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: wax · wake · wave · saw · nail · cue · board · last

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. last — finally
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. board — a committee
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wax — to grow
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. last — final
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. last — to go on
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. board — to get 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