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: ground · pit · spring · bore · ruler · wound · nail · wax

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wax — to grow
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pit — in a race
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — crushed
  17. pit — a hole
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ground — a position
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bore — gave birth

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