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: race · safe · wax · staff · drill · bay · scale · band

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. staff — employees
  9. drill — army training
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. band — a music group
  14. race — humankind
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — the arms race
  18. staff — employees
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wax — to grow
  24. scale — in 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