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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wax — to grow
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bound — certain
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ground — a position
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stand — to bear
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. shower — rain
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bound — obliged
  22. ground — the earth
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bound — tied together

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