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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. rush — hurry
  6. tear — to rip
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. can — a tin
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wax — to grow
  14. can — a tin
  15. tear — from crying
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. tear — from crying
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chair — a leader
  24. leaves — lets stay

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