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: race · rest · object · hand · wax · scale · wound · stand

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rest — what's left
  10. hand — help
  11. rest — a break
  12. race — the arms race
  13. rest — what's left
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. object — an aim
  16. race — a contest
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. object — a thing
  19. wax — to grow
  20. object — to protest
  21. race — humankind
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wound — an injury

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