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: stick · stand · wax · net · snap · object · kick · rule

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. net — for catching
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. net — in sport
  10. object — to protest
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. snap — to click
  18. object — a thing
  19. net — after costs
  20. object — an aim
  21. wax — to grow
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. kick — in football

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