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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. firm — steady
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. branch — a division
  5. firm — decided
  6. cap — a lid
  7. net — for catching
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cap — a hat
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. firm — a company
  24. patient — a sick person

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