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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. race — humankind
  7. land — to come down
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lean — thin
  10. stand — to bear
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — a contest
  13. rush — hurry
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. land — ground
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. land — a country

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