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 · pop · lash · date · calf · kid · fall · rush

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pop — soda
  6. fall — to drop
  7. date — the fruit
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — child
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wax — to grow
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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