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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. face — to confront
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pit — in a race
  12. band — a ring
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. band — a music group

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