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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. net — in sport
  3. toast — bread
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rock — a stone
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. perch — the fish
  13. net — for catching
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. mark — a trace
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. net — after costs
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. mine — for digging
  23. rock — music
  24. mine — belonging to me

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