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: calf · mark · mug · wax · fan · foot · fine · kid

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. kid — child
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. mug — to rob
  7. foot — a measure
  8. kid — to tease
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mug — a face
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fine — all right
  17. wax — to grow
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. calf — a young animal

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