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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. wax — to grow
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mark — a grade
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. season — in sport
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. season — of the year
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. hand — help
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. straw — a straw man

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