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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. row — to paddle
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. band — a ring
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. current — happening now
  9. tear — from crying
  10. row — a line
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. current — electric
  13. tear — to rip
  14. band — a music group
  15. wax — to grow
  16. current — of water
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. chip — for betting
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. chip — in a computer

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