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: rest · wax · trunk · snap · sharp · safe · squash · kick

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — to grow
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. sharp — clever
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. squash — the sport
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rest — a break
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. kick — in football
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. squash — to crush
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. snap — to click
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. safe — out of danger

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