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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — to grow
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. dip — to sink
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bass — low music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bass — the fish
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — a video
  19. branch — a division
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. clip — to cut

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