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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. stem — to come from
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. file — a document
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. drill — army training
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a line of people
  15. drill — the tool
  16. snap — to click
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wax — to grow
  20. drill — a practice
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. swing — in golf
  24. file — a tool

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