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: ground · wax · calf · stem · track · present · ball · dip

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. track — to keep track
  3. stem — to come from
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. track — a path
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. ground — the earth
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. track — a song
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. ground — a position
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wax — to grow

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