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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. fine — high quality
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. ball — a dance
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. swing — music
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wax — to grow
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fine — all right
  19. tear — to rip
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. roll — a list
  22. swing — to play on
  23. ball — a great time
  24. roll — a cake

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