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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. race — a contest
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. race — humankind
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bear — the animal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rock — music
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bear — the animal

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