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: rule · kick · band · wax · bore · ball · spell · roll

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. ball — a dance
  6. kick — in football
  7. wax — to grow
  8. spell — magic
  9. rule — a law
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bore — to tire
  12. band — a ring
  13. spell — a short time
  14. roll — a list
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bore — to drill
  17. band — a music group
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. spell — letters
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — government

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