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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · patient · sharp · wax · object · arm · mate · pitch

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. object — an aim
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mate — a friend
  13. object — a thing
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pitch — completely
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mate — a partner
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — final
  24. object — to protest

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