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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. race — the arms race
  13. pass — a permit
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. branch — a division
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. race — humankind
  23. swing — music
  24. rush — hurry

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