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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. staff — employees
  4. rule — a law
  5. field — for sport
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. staff — employees
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rule — government
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. key — in music
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. field — farmland
  18. staff — a stick
  19. key — for a lock
  20. field — a subject
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. key — the most important part
  23. toast — bread
  24. chair — to sit on

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