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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mug — a face
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mug — to rob
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mug — a cup
  20. branch — a division
  21. wound — an injury
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — the arms race

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