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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. scale — size or range
  3. foot — a measure
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cue — a signal
  9. roll — a list
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. roll — a cake
  12. scale — in music
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wax — to grow
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. staff — employees
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. cue — a hint
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. staff — employees
  24. temple — side of the head

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