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 116 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mug — a face
  3. drill — army training
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. drill — the tool
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pit — a hole
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. content — the amount
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. content — happy
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. wax — for sculpting

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