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: wind · wake · spell · patient · stem · mark · rest · lean

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lean — thin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. wake — a trail
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stem — to come from
  14. spell — letters
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. rest — a break
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — a short time
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rest — what's left
  24. patient — a sick person

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