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

Word bank: club · stick · patient · bass · band · pit · wax · wind

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. band — a music group
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pit — a hole
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. pit — in a race
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — a group
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. club — for dancing
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. band — a ring
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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