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: temple · fine · stock · race · wax · tear · net · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. net — for catching
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. net — after costs
  5. race — a contest
  6. stock — shares
  7. tear — to rip
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. race — humankind
  11. wax — to grow
  12. rock — music
  13. net — in sport
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. race — the arms race
  20. stock — goods
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. tear — from crying
  24. temple — a place of worship

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