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 116 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. capital — money
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rush — hurry
  20. capital — a city
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. capital — a big letter

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