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: shower · bay · board · can · tear · cue · kick · wax

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. shower — rain
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. tear — to rip
  12. cue — for pool
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. board — a committee
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. shower — to wash
  19. can — a tin
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. can — a tin
  22. kick — in football
  23. cue — a signal
  24. can — to be able to

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