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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — to rob
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pitch — completely
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wound — an injury
  14. kid — child
  15. kid — to tease
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wax — to grow
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wax — for sculpting

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