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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. object — to protest
  4. march — the month
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. march — the month
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. march — music
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. ball — a great time
  16. object — a thing
  17. ball — a dance
  18. object — an aim
  19. rash — a series
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bulb — for light

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