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 116 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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. race — a contest
  6. season — in sport
  7. spring — the season
  8. squash — to crush
  9. kick — in football
  10. squash — the sport
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. race — humankind
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. spring — a coil
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. spring — of water
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. race — the arms race
  23. season — of the year
  24. kick — with a leg

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