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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. hand — help
  4. pass — a permit
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bore — to tire
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. race — humankind
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fine — all right
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pass — to succeed

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