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: fork · tear · wax · ruler · branch · suit · temple · lean

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. tear — from crying
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. wax — to grow
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. tear — from crying
  18. branch — a division
  19. suit — clothes
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. tear — to rip
  22. lean — thin
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. suit — to fit

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