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: stand · bear · toast · wound · rule · root · ball · wax

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rule — a law
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. ball — a dance
  7. root — the cause
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. ball — a great time
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. toast — bread
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rule — government
  24. wound — an injury

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