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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. toast — bread
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pop — music
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bulb — for light
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. face — to point toward
  9. court — for sport
  10. pop — to visit
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bulb — for light
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. court — of a king
  18. face — to confront
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. pop — soda
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. tube — the underground

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