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: mine · dip · wax · bowl · prune · current · kid · calf

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. prune — to trim
  10. current — of water
  11. dip — to sink
  12. kid — child
  13. current — electric
  14. kid — to tease
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. prune — to trim
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wax — to grow
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mine — belonging to me

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