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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. root — of a plant
  3. race — the arms race
  4. row — to paddle
  5. root — the cause
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. root — of a word
  10. object — to protest
  11. mine — for digging
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. stand — to bear
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. race — a contest
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kid — to tease
  20. row — a line
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. kid — child
  24. wax — to grow

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