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: wake · tube · wave · craft · wax · mate · bear · bay

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wax — to grow
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bear — the animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mate — to breed
  17. tube — a container
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. tube — the underground
  23. craft — boats
  24. wake — a trail

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