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 120 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mark — a grade
  4. race — a contest
  5. mark — a trace
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. branch — a division
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stock — shares
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bank — for money
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. race — the arms race
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. race — humankind
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bank — for money

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