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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. chest — of your body
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wax — to grow
  6. ground — a position
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. perch — the fish
  12. suit — to fit
  13. chest — a box
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. foot — part of the body

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