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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. hand — help
  7. bulb — for light
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. current — electric
  10. cap — a lid
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wax — to grow
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. current — happening now
  15. squash — the sport
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cap — a hat
  23. hand — in cards
  24. current — of water

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