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: wax · temple · fork · game · craft · patient · stem · season

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stem — to come from
  6. season — of the year
  7. craft — a skill
  8. game — a match
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. wax — to grow
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fork — in a road
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. game — wild animals
  22. craft — boats
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. season — in sport

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