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 116 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. kick — in football
  3. firm — a company
  4. club — a group
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. club — for dancing
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pit — in a race
  12. club — for golf
  13. wax — to grow
  14. spell — magic
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — a short time
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. spell — letters
  24. calf — a young animal

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