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: saw · land · ball · calf · snap · rule · wax · bound

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. saw — the tool
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rule — government
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. land — ground
  16. land — a country
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. land — to come down
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rule — a law
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. snap — to click

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