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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mark — a grade
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wax — to grow
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — decided
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. firm — a company
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. firm — steady
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. shower — rain
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pass — to succeed

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