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: bore · game · wax · toast · lash · patient · sharp · straw

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bore — to drill
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bore — to tire
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wax — to grow
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. game — wild animals
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. toast — bread
  22. game — a match
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. sharp — clever

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