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: roll · wax · dip · squash · land · calf · shower · hide

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. land — ground
  5. roll — a list
  6. dip — to sink
  7. roll — a cake
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wax — to grow
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. land — a country
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. squash — the sport
  23. land — to come down
  24. dip — a sauce

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