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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. track — a path
  4. spell — magic
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rest — a break
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. roll — a list
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. roll — a cake
  19. track — to keep track
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. wax — to grow
  22. track — a song
  23. rest — what's left
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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