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: ground · stand · wax · staff · rock · calf · roll · court

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. ground — the earth
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. ground — a position
  10. stand — to bear
  11. roll — a list
  12. ground — crushed
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. court — for sport
  16. roll — a cake
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. court — of law
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. court — of a king
  24. wax — to grow

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