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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wax — to grow
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. club — a group
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. prune — to trim
  19. foot — a measure
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. stock — shares
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — for dancing

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