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: wax · face · cue · last · safe · field · foot · spring

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. field — farmland
  8. wax — to grow
  9. cue — a signal
  10. face — to point toward
  11. cue — for pool
  12. face — to confront
  13. field — for sport
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. last — finally
  16. cue — a hint
  17. face — part of the head
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. spring — of water
  22. spring — the season
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — a coil

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