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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. key — the most important part
  3. degree — temperature
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. prune — to trim
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. degree — from a university
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. object — a thing
  12. lean — to bend
  13. key — for a lock
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. prune — to trim
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. degree — an amount
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. object — to protest
  21. wax — to grow
  22. key — in music
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. object — an aim

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