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: court · kick · nail · ruler · bear · wax · dip · fall

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. fall — the season
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. kick — in football
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wax — to grow
  8. court — of law
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bear — the animal
  13. court — for sport
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. court — of a king
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wax — in the ear

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