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: clip · safe · pound · pop · calf · wax · craft · suit

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pop — music
  4. clip — a video
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. craft — boats
  7. clip — for paper
  8. pop — soda
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. craft — a skill
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. clip — to cut
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. suit — in cards
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pop — to visit
  17. wax — to grow
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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