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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. firm — steady
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. firm — a company
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. firm — decided
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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