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: temple · calf · dip · wax · rock · saw · spring · charge

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rock — a stone
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. spring — a coil
  14. wax — to grow
  15. saw — the tool
  16. spring — the season
  17. charge — a price
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. dip — to sink
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rock — music
  24. spring — of water

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