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: file · rule · wax · cabinet · staff · spring · rock · roll

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. spring — a coil
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. rule — a law
  8. staff — employees
  9. file — a tool
  10. rock — music
  11. spring — of water
  12. file — a line of people
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wax — to grow
  15. roll — a list
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. roll — a cake
  18. spring — the season
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rule — government
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. staff — employees
  24. file — a document

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