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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. ball — a dance
  4. foot — a measure
  5. cue — for pool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. spell — magic
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. charge — in control
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. spell — a short time
  15. charge — a price
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spell — letters
  21. lean — to bend
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. ball — a great time
  24. lean — thin

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