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: calf · wax · stock · charge · kick · suit · fall · chair

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fall — to drop
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. kick — in football
  5. charge — electricity
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chair — a leader
  8. fall — the season
  9. charge — a price
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wax — to grow
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — in control
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. stock — shares
  21. fall — to drop
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. stock — goods
  24. kick — a thrill

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