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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. chest — a box
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. chest — of your body
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. charge — a price
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wax — to grow
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cabinet — ministers

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