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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. tear — from crying
  3. staff — employees
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. field — for sport
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. sharp — clever
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bass — low music
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. field — farmland
  13. field — a subject
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bass — the fish
  18. tear — to rip
  19. tear — from crying
  20. staff — employees
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — for sculpting

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