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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. firm — steady
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. race — the arms race
  7. track — to keep track
  8. firm — a company
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bat — the animal
  12. firm — decided
  13. track — a song
  14. race — humankind
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. track — a path
  17. race — a contest
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. chair — a leader
  22. wax — to grow
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. wax — for sculpting

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