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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lean — to bend
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. race — a contest
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. race — the arms race
  7. lean — thin
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. race — humankind
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. staff — employees
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wax — to grow

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