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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. spell — magic
  3. kick — in football
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. spell — a short time
  9. object — to protest
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wax — to grow
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. ball — a dance
  14. spell — letters
  15. object — a thing
  16. race — a contest
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. ball — a great time
  19. object — an aim
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. race — humankind
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. leaves — lets stay

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