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: trunk · present · rest · patient · capital · arm · fine · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. present — a gift
  12. capital — money
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. present — there
  18. capital — a city
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. present — the time now
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rest — a break
  24. arm — part of the body

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