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: foot · wax · calf · nail · bark · pit · pound · mark

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pound — a weight
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pit — a hole
  18. wax — to grow
  19. mark — a trace
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pound — to hit hard

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