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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. can — a tin
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wax — to grow
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rest — a break
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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