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 · pitcher · temple · shower · squash · tear · foot · wax

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mug — a cup
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — rain
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. tear — from crying
  22. foot — a measure
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mug — a face

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