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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. scale — in music
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rush — hurry
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. band — a ring
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pop — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bulb — for light
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pop — soda
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pop — to visit
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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