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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mug — a face
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mug — to rob
  13. band — a ring
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wax — to grow
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mug — a cup
  20. scale — size or range
  21. charge — a price
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. band — a music group

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