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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ball — a great time
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. ball — a dance
  12. land — a country
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. spring — the season
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. land — to come down
  17. spring — of water
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. land — ground
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. spring — a coil
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. calf — a young animal

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