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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. net — in sport
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cap — of ice
  6. firm — a company
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wax — to grow
  9. net — for catching
  10. cap — a hat
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. object — an aim
  14. net — after costs
  15. cap — a lid
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. object — a thing
  21. firm — steady
  22. season — in sport
  23. object — to protest
  24. season — of the year

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