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: wax · ruler · spell · snap · board · capital · straw · bulb

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. snap — to click
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wax — to grow
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. spell — a short time
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. capital — money
  18. spell — magic
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. capital — a city
  24. spell — letters

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