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: wave · wax · leaves · game · foot · mug · kick · ruler

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. game — a match
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. kick — in football
  12. mug — a cup
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wave — of the sea

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