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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. track — to keep track
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. swing — to play on
  6. scale — size or range
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. game — wild animals
  9. swing — music
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. track — a path
  13. swing — in golf
  14. kick — in football
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. game — a match
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. scale — in music
  23. track — a song
  24. arm — a part of something

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