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: fork · bear · club · face · wax · kid · bowl · wake

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. club — for golf
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. kid — child
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. club — a group
  19. face — to confront
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kid — to tease
  22. club — for dancing
  23. fork — in a road
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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