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: row · temple · kid · chest · stand · wax · foot · dip

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. chest — of your body
  3. row — to paddle
  4. chest — a box
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. kid — to tease
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. row — a line
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. kid — child
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chest — of your body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stand — to bear
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. stand — for spectators

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