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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. game — wild animals
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. game — a match
  8. spell — letters
  9. wax — to grow
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — a short time
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mate — a partner
  17. dip — to sink
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — magic
  23. mate — a friend
  24. dip — a sauce

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