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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · fine · rash · bear · wax · board · mate · race

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  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. fine — high quality
  2. race — a contest
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rash — hasty
  10. race — the arms race
  11. board — a committee
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. race — humankind
  14. board — to get on
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rash — a series
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fine — all right
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mate — a partner
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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