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: wax · ruler · bat · field · bark · nail · bank · ground

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bank — for money
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. field — for sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bank — for money
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wax — to grow
  11. field — farmland
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ground — the earth
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bank — of a river
  21. field — a subject
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. ground — a position
  24. nail — for a hammer

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