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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bank — for money
  6. rush — hurry
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rule — a law
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. race — a contest
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bass — low music
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rule — government
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wound — an injury
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bass — the instrument
  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