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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. current — electric
  7. bound — certain
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — obliged
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ball — a great time
  20. current — of water
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. current — happening now
  24. bay — a horse colour

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