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 · band · wake · pit · hand · kick · toast · trunk

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. kick — in football
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — a trail
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. toast — bread
  12. band — a ring
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. hand — help
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. trunk — of a tree

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