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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. foot — the bottom
  2. tear — to rip
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — to grow
  6. clip — a video
  7. ball — a dance
  8. tear — from crying
  9. foot — a measure
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lean — to bend
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. net — after costs
  14. ball — a great time
  15. clip — to cut
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. clip — for paper
  18. lean — thin
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. tear — from crying
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  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