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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ground — a position
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. band — a ring
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. band — a music group
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ground — crushed
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bank — for money
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — for money
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. ground — the earth
  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