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: ruler · wax · leaves · race · arm · racket · scale · fan

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. race — the arms race
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wax — to grow
  6. scale — size or range
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. race — a contest
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. scale — in music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. race — humankind
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. scale — for weighing

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