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: cabinet · bowl · calf · wax · mouse · dip · pitch · kid

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. kid — to tease
  4. wax — to grow
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. kid — child
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pitch — completely

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