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: perch · wax · calf · mate · key · racket · object · pass

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mate — to breed
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. key — for a lock
  6. object — a thing
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mate — a partner
  9. object — to protest
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. key — in music
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mate — a friend
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wax — to grow
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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