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: content · bear · tear · wax · fork · tube · last · bank

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bank — for money
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bank — for money
  11. content — happy
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. last — to go on
  17. bank — of a river
  18. tube — a container
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. tear — from crying
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. content — the amount

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