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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fine — high quality
  3. key — in music
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wax — to grow
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. pop — music
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bulb — for light
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pop — soda
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pop — to visit

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