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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. court — of law
  3. club — a group
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. court — for sport
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. plane — a tool
  11. club — for dancing
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wax — to grow
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bulb — for light
  16. court — of a king
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. club — for golf
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wax — for sculpting

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