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: tube · row · bowl · fan · kick · wax · deal · safe

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. tube — the underground
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. row — a line
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kick — in football
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tube — a container
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. kick — a thrill

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