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 116 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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. current — happening now
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. degree — from a university
  5. track — a song
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. degree — an amount
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. current — of water
  14. board — a committee
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. board — to get on
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. current — electric
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. ruler — a monarch

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