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: racket · bear · pit · ruler · roll · suit · cold · wax

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wax — to grow
  4. cold — not warm
  5. roll — a cake
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. suit — in cards
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — to fit
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. roll — a list
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pit — a hole
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. racket — for tennis

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