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: bound · lash · trunk · safe · wax · bat · rash · race

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rash — hasty
  7. race — a contest
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bound — certain
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. race — humankind
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. rash — a series
  24. bound — tied together

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