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: fall · racket · club · patient · jam · coach · dip · wax

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. club — for golf
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. club — for dancing
  14. fall — the season
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wax — to grow
  19. club — a group
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fall — to drop

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