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: mug · calf · track · content · bat · deal · wax · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. present — there
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. present — the time now
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. track — a path
  9. mug — to rob
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. content — happy
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bat — the animal
  18. mug — a face
  19. track — to keep track
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wax — to grow
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. track — a song

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