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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mark — a trace
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bank — of a river
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. roll — a cake
  7. mark — a grade
  8. capital — a city
  9. march — the month
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. march — the month
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bank — for money
  15. roll — a list
  16. bank — for money
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. march — music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. capital — money

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