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: swing · wax · plane · ground · trunk · firm · pitcher · foot

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. swing — music
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. firm — a company
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — decided
  15. ground — the earth
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. ground — a position
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. firm — steady
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. foot — a measure
  23. ground — crushed
  24. swing — to play on

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