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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mate — a partner
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. key — the most important part
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. board — to get on
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. mate — to breed
  23. kick — in football
  24. racket — for tennis

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