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 116 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: bound · kick · spring · wax · stand · fan · rule · swing

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. wax — to grow
  3. spring — of water
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. swing — music
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — a coil
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bound — tied together
  11. swing — to play on
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. swing — in golf
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — in football
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bound — certain
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rule — government
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. kick — with a leg

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