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: key · bear · mine · root · net · wave · patient · pound

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. net — in sport
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. net — for catching
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mine — for digging
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — of a word
  11. key — in music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. root — the cause
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bear — the animal
  19. net — after costs
  20. root — of a plant
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. key — for a lock

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