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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wax — to grow
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — a video
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. scale — in music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. clip — to cut
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. race — the arms race
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. lie — to recline
  16. race — humankind
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. scale — size or range
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. race — a contest
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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