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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. last — to go on
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. march — the month
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. last — finally
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cue — a hint
  22. last — final
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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