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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. object — an aim
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wax — to grow
  5. object — to protest
  6. degree — from a university
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. track — to keep track
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. track — a song
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. track — a path
  19. degree — an amount
  20. perch — the fish
  21. object — a thing
  22. degree — temperature
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. wax — in the ear

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