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: field · rule · wake · wax · row · lie · land · suit

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. row — a line
  3. field — farmland
  4. row — to paddle
  5. field — for sport
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rule — government
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wax — to grow
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. land — ground
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. land — to come down
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. rule — a law
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. field — a subject
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lie — to recline
  24. land — a country

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