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 116 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: pound · lash · firm · race · chair · lean · stock · wax

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. chair — a leader
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — the arms race
  7. firm — decided
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stock — shares
  12. lean — to bend
  13. race — a contest
  14. pound — a weight
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lean — thin
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. stock — goods
  24. pound — for dogs

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