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: firm · cue · vault · clip · wax · arm · race · band

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. race — humankind
  3. band — a ring
  4. firm — a company
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. cue — for pool
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. clip — a video
  12. vault — a safe
  13. clip — for paper
  14. band — a music group
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. clip — to cut
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cue — a hint
  20. race — the arms race
  21. firm — decided
  22. race — a contest
  23. firm — steady
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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