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: kick · staff · spell · wax · dip · coach · bay · march

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spell — a short time
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. kick — in football
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. march — the month
  10. wax — to grow
  11. staff — employees
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. spell — magic
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. staff — a stick
  20. spell — letters
  21. march — music
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. march — the month

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