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: wax · march · chip · rule · shower · bore · ruler · spell

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. wax — to grow
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. march — the month
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bore — to tire
  10. march — the month
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. shower — to wash
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. shower — rain
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rule — a law
  19. march — music
  20. bore — to drill
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bore — gave birth

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