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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. key — in music
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bass — the fish
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. wax — to grow
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. spell — magic
  19. key — for a lock
  20. court — for sport
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. stand — to bear
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. key — the most important part

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