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: spell · temple · rock · object · stand · wax · stick · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wax — to grow
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — magic
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. object — to protest
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. object — an aim
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. spell — a short time
  23. object — a thing
  24. rock — music

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