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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. date — the fruit
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. drill — the tool
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wax — to grow
  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