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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rash — a series
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — a measure
  13. hand — in cards
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. hand — help
  22. rash — hasty
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. stand — on your feet

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