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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. court — of law
  8. fine — all right
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. spell — letters
  12. court — of a king
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. court — for sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. spell — magic
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bass — low music
  24. wax — to grow

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