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: staff · last · wax · bank · mate · mug · fork · roll

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. mate — a partner
  3. roll — a cake
  4. staff — employees
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bank — of a river
  8. last — to go on
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. last — final
  12. staff — employees
  13. mate — to breed
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bank — for money
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mate — a friend
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mug — a face
  23. last — finally
  24. roll — a list

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