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: cap · stick · rash · ball · wax · wind · rest · bore

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bore — to drill
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rest — a break
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. rash — a series
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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