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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bass — the fish
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bass — low music
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. fall — to drop
  14. game — a match
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. fall — to drop
  19. branch — a division
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stand — to bear

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