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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. suit — clothes
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. roll — a list
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. track — a path
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bark — to shout
  19. track — a song
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. track — to keep track

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