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: drill · race · coach · hide · wax · row · key · snap

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. drill — army training
  3. row — a line
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. key — in music
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. drill — a practice
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. row — to paddle
  13. drill — the tool
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. race — a contest
  20. snap — to click
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wax — to grow
  23. race — humankind
  24. row — a quarrel

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