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: wax · track · stick · patient · capital · shower · firm · march

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. march — the month
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wax — to grow
  5. shower — to wash
  6. track — to keep track
  7. march — the month
  8. firm — a company
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — rain
  12. track — a song
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — steady
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. firm — decided
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. march — music
  20. capital — a city
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. track — a path
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. capital — a big letter

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