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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. pit — a hole
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. staff — employees
  8. face — to confront
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pit — in a race
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. staff — employees
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. toast — bread

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