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: rash · wax · nail · race · fall · stick · can · object

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. can — a tin
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. object — to protest
  12. wax — to grow
  13. rash — a series
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. can — a tin
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. race — humankind
  18. can — to be able to
  19. race — a contest
  20. object — a thing
  21. race — the arms race
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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