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: snap · net · toast · cue · ground · wax · patient · can

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. can — to be able to
  3. snap — to click
  4. can — a tin
  5. toast — bread
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — crushed
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. ground — a position
  17. net — in sport
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. can — a tin
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. net — after costs
  24. wax — to grow

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