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: safe · drill · race · straw · present · wax · mouse · deal

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. drill — the tool
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. present — a gift
  6. drill — a practice
  7. race — a contest
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wax — to grow
  14. race — the arms race
  15. drill — army training
  16. race — humankind
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. present — there
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. present — the time now

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