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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wax — to grow
  8. race — humankind
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — a thing
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. race — the arms race
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. object — an aim
  23. race — a contest
  24. patient — a sick person

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