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: shower · wax · rule · rock · dip · land · stick · bark

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. rule — a law
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. dip — to sink
  7. land — to come down
  8. shower — rain
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. land — ground
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rock — music
  19. wax — to grow
  20. land — a country
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rule — government
  23. rock — to move gently
  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