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

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — to sink
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mine — for digging
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. chip — to eat

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