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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. drill — army training
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. band — a ring
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mug — to rob
  14. fork — in a road
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. band — a music group
  17. drill — the tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mug — a face
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. drill — a practice

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