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: leaves · cap · wind · ground · calf · wax · tear · wave

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wind — moving air
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cap — a lid
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. tear — from crying
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. ground — crushed
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. tear — to rip
  15. tear — from crying
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wind — moving air
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ground — a position
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. cap — of ice
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. leaves — lets stay

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