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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — to be able to
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. key — for a lock
  9. saw — the tool
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. key — the most important part
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. can — a tin
  21. key — in music
  22. can — a tin
  23. rest — a break
  24. saw — the tool

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