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 · patient · key · dip · rash · straw · net · ruler

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — hasty
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — the most important part
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. key — in music
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. wax — to grow
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. net — after costs
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. key — for a lock
  21. net — for catching
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rash — a series
  24. wax — in the ear

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