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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · land · object · wake · bowl · ground · ball · kid

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. object — an aim
  3. land — to come down
  4. ground — crushed
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wake — a trail
  7. object — a thing
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. object — to protest
  11. ground — a position
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. land — a country
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. kid — to tease
  23. land — ground
  24. bowl — to roll

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