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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cell — a phone
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cell — in biology
  5. pit — in a race
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pop — music
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wax — to grow

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