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 120 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. track — to keep track
  7. club — for dancing
  8. wax — to grow
  9. craft — a skill
  10. club — a group
  11. track — a song
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bank — of a river
  14. craft — boats
  15. club — for golf
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bank — for money
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bank — for money

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