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: track · ruler · wax · spring · cell · spell · deal · lie

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. wax — to grow
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — magic
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. track — a path
  9. spell — letters
  10. deal — to handle
  11. spring — a coil
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. spell — a short time
  14. track — a song
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — in biology
  18. spring — the season
  19. track — to keep track
  20. spring — of water
  21. lie — to recline
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. ruler — for measuring

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