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 124 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. field — a subject
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. kick — in football
  12. squash — to crush
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bank — for money
  15. bore — to tire
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. squash — the sport
  18. ball — a dance
  19. field — farmland
  20. ball — a great time
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. field — for sport
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. kick — a thrill

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