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: board · temple · racket · ruler · bulb · stock · rule · wax

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wax — to grow
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stock — goods
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bulb — for light
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rule — a law
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. board — a committee
  14. rule — government
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. ruler — for measuring

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