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: stem · pit · wound · content · patient · wave · chair · tube

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. tube — the underground
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pit — in a race
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — happy
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — a container
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. chair — a leader
  19. content — the amount
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stem — a stem cell

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