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 116 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: kick · charge · rash · deal · perch · wax · nail · spell

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rash — a series
  8. spell — letters
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. spell — a short time
  11. rash — hasty
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wax — to grow
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. perch — the fish
  17. deal — to handle
  18. charge — in control
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. spell — magic
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. charge — a price
  24. perch — for a bird

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