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: wax · nail · wound · kick · can · ground · board · calf

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. can — to be able to
  7. board — a committee
  8. kick — in football
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ground — crushed
  16. can — a tin
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ground — the earth
  22. wound — an injury
  23. can — a tin
  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