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 · rock · dip · firm · patient · roll · deal · stick

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rock — a stone
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. firm — a company
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wax — to grow
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. roll — a list
  11. firm — steady
  12. dip — to sink
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. deal — to handle
  18. firm — decided
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rock — music
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rock — to move gently

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