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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rash — hasty
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wax — to grow
  8. rash — a series
  9. rule — government
  10. ball — a great time
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rule — a law
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. fan — a supporter

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