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 116 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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — to visit
  7. firm — steady
  8. field — farmland
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pop — soda
  12. field — for sport
  13. cue — a hint
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wax — to grow
  18. firm — decided
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. field — a subject
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pop — music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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