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 116 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: drill · pitch · wax · plane · squash · race · kick · wind

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. drill — the tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. squash — to crush
  6. kick — in football
  7. pitch — completely
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wind — moving air
  10. drill — army training
  11. race — humankind
  12. squash — the sport
  13. race — a contest
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wind — moving air
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. plane — a tool

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