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: scale · pitch · kick · saw · bound · foot · wax · roll

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bound — tied together
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bound — certain
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. roll — a list
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. scale — in music
  12. bound — obliged
  13. scale — size or range
  14. saw — the tool
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. wax — to grow
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. roll — a cake
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pitch — completely
  24. saw — the tool

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