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: stick · mouse · race · fork · wax · track · hand · mug

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. hand — in cards
  3. track — to keep track
  4. race — a contest
  5. mug — a face
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. race — humankind
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. track — a path
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. race — the arms race
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mug — a cup
  20. track — a song
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. wax — to grow

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