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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bass — the fish
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bass — low music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. toast — bread
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wax — to grow

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