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: wake · wax · racket · chip · leaves · dip · date · calf

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — a trail
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. dip — to sink
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. date — the fruit
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. chip — for betting
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. leaves — of a tree

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