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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pitch — completely
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. craft — boats
  11. race — humankind
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. staff — employees
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. race — a contest

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