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 120 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: cell · calf · stand · ground · march · tube · wax · fine

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fine — all right
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wax — to grow
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. march — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ground — the earth
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. ground — a position
  14. stand — to bear
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. march — the month
  17. ground — crushed
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. tube — a container
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. stand — on your feet

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