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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. race — humankind
  6. present — the time now
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. shower — rain
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. perch — the fish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — newspapers
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. present — there
  15. race — the arms race
  16. present — a gift
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. shower — to wash
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. press — to push

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