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: fall · wax · rule · deal · cell · object

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. fall — to drop
  6. cell — in biology
  7. deal — to handle
  8. wax — to grow
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. object — an aim
  11. rule — government
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — a thing
  14. fall — the season
  15. rule — a law
  16. cell — a phone
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. fall — to drop

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