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: spell · rock · wax · patient · wave · staff · season · face

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. spell — magic
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. rock — a stone
  7. staff — employees
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. staff — employees
  11. rock — music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. season — of the year
  14. wax — to grow
  15. season — in sport
  16. spell — letters
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. staff — a stick

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