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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  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. wax — for sculpting
  2. club — for dancing
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rash — hasty
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mate — a partner
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. club — for golf
  13. wax — to grow
  14. club — a group
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rash — a series
  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