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: kick · mouse · wax · staff · ground · stock · mark · saw

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. mark — a grade
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. wax — to grow
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. ground — crushed
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. kick — in football
  18. staff — employees
  19. ground — a position
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ground — the earth
  23. staff — employees
  24. wax — for sculpting

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