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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pass — a permit
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. fine — all right
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. race — a contest
  16. fine — high quality
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. race — humankind
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mine — for digging

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