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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bore — to drill
  4. race — humankind
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — for sport
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. deal — to handle
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. race — a contest
  18. fall — to drop
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. field — farmland
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fall — the season
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bore — to tire

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