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 120 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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — to bear
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mark — a grade
  12. prune — to trim
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. mark — a trace
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bulb — for light

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