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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. rest — what's left
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. cell — in biology
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. wax — to grow
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rock — a stone
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. spring — the season
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. cell — a phone
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rock — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kick — in football
  24. spring — of water

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