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 120 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: wax · calf · march · fine · mate · track · stand · wake

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fine — all right
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. march — the month
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mate — a friend
  13. track — a song
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. march — the month
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wax — to grow
  20. march — music
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. track — a path

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