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: wax · ground · can · leaves · game · bark · ruler · stock

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stock — goods
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. stock — shares
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. game — wild animals
  8. ground — the earth
  9. can — a tin
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. game — a match
  17. ground — a position
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bark — to shout
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. wax — for sculpting

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