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: mine · can · wax · dip · root · ball · net · ruler

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. root — of a word
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wax — to grow
  8. net — after costs
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ball — a great time
  16. net — for catching
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mine — for digging
  21. root — the cause
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — of a plant
  24. dip — to dunk

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