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: mine · field · temple · wave · content · wax · mug · bass

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. mug — a face
  7. bass — low music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. field — a subject
  12. bass — the fish
  13. field — farmland
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. field — for sport
  17. mug — a cup
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. content — happy
  21. wax — to grow
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. content — the amount
  24. mug — to rob

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