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: tube · rock · shower · hide · wax · fine · track · wind

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wind — moving air
  5. shower — to wash
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. fine — all right
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wind — moving air
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tube — the underground
  16. shower — rain
  17. wax — to grow
  18. tube — a container
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. track — a song
  22. rock — music
  23. track — a path
  24. tube — in a tire

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