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: spell · wake · rule · wax · firm · field · racket · leaves

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — for sport
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. spell — letters
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rule — a law
  9. field — a subject
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. firm — steady
  17. wax — to grow
  18. firm — decided
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. spell — magic
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. firm — a company
  24. rule — government

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