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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. shower — rain
  3. current — happening now
  4. shower — to wash
  5. wax — to grow
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — magic
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. last — to go on
  11. spring — the season
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — a coil
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. last — finally
  19. last — final
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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