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: land · fork · lash · wind · field · ruler · wax · mouse

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wax — to grow
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. land — ground
  14. field — a subject
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — a country
  20. wind — moving air
  21. field — for sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. field — farmland
  24. mouse — the animal

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