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: fall · lash · root · wax · ruler · staff · stand · kick

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fall — to drop
  6. staff — employees
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. staff — employees
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. root — the cause
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. root — of a plant
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. root — of a word

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