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: row · bore · plane · patient · wake · pass · branch · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. row — a line
  10. branch — a division
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. row — to paddle

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