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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. rock — music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. firm — steady
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rock — a stone
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. wax — to grow
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. date — the fruit
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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