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: fork · wound · wax · bound · craft · spring · ruler · bulb

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spring — a coil
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bound — tied together
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. spring — of water
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bound — certain
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. spring — the season
  21. bound — obliged
  22. craft — boats
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bulb — of a plant

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