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: firm · kick · temple · wax · object · bound · nail · race

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bound — tied together
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bound — certain
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. firm — decided
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. kick — in football
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. race — a contest
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. race — humankind
  15. firm — a company
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. firm — steady
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wax — to grow
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. object — an aim

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