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: degree · deal · safe · wax · temple · track · march · stand

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. degree — from a university
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. degree — temperature
  9. march — the month
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. deal — to handle
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. march — the month
  16. degree — an amount
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stand — to bear
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. march — music

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