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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. charge — a price
  5. squash — the sport
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. cue — a signal
  9. present — the time now
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. charge — in control
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. present — there
  19. present — a gift
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cue — a hint
  24. charge — electricity

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