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: bank · cabinet · wake · lean · suit · staff · arm · wax

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. suit — clothes
  4. staff — employees
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. lean — thin
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wax — to grow
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bank — of a river
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wake — a trail
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. staff — employees
  18. bank — for money
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bank — for money
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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