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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. board — a committee
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. staff — employees
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rock — music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wax — to grow
  13. staff — employees
  14. rock — a stone
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kid — child
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. board — to get on
  21. mark — a grade
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mark — a trace
  24. kid — to tease

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