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: wax · wound · swing · bore · plane · leaves · safe · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wax — to grow
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. swing — in golf
  6. wound — an injury
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. swing — to play on
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. swing — music
  19. bore — to drill
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. plane — a tool
  22. kick — in football
  23. wound — an injury
  24. safe — out of danger

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