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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wax — to grow
  7. lie — to recline
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. track — a song
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. scale — size or range
  14. chip — for betting
  15. scale — in music
  16. stock — goods
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. track — a path
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wax — in the ear

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