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

Word bank: pass · band · root · can · hide · wax · race · bay

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. can — to be able to
  3. band — a music group
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. race — a contest
  11. can — a tin
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. wax — to grow
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pass — a permit
  18. race — humankind
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a word
  22. can — a tin
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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