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: cue · wax · calf · pitcher · fork · wake · stock · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stock — shares
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. wake — a trail
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. cue — a hint
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — goods
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. calf — a young animal

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