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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mate — a friend
  6. drill — army training
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lie — to recline
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. game — a match
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. drill — a practice
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mate — a partner
  17. drill — the tool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mate — to breed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wound — an injury

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