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 116 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. suit — to fit
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. field — a subject
  9. race — the arms race
  10. field — for sport
  11. race — a contest
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bear — the animal
  15. field — farmland
  16. race — humankind
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wax — to grow
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. suit — clothes

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