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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wound — an injury
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. board — to get on
  5. wound — an injury
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. file — a line of people
  8. board — a committee
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. craft — boats
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a tool
  15. wax — to grow
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. foot — a measure
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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