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 · capital · mark · fine · bear · key · wound · patient

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. fine — all right
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. capital — a city
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mark — a grade
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. key — in music
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fine — high quality
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a big letter

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