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: wax · foot · season · calf · fork · nail · bat · chair

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. fork — in a road
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. season — in sport
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bat — the animal
  13. season — of the year
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. chair — a leader
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. season — to add flavour

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