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: patient · kick · wound · march · wave · track · cap · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. cap — a hat
  8. track — to keep track
  9. kick — in football
  10. track — a path
  11. march — music
  12. cap — a lid
  13. march — the month
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cap — of ice
  16. march — the month
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. track — a song
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. patient — a sick person

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