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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · coach · wind · can · object · wax · kick · mine

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. kick — in football
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. object — to protest
  5. can — to be able to
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. object — an aim
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. wind — moving air
  16. can — a tin
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. object — a thing
  22. bulb — for light
  23. can — a tin
  24. wind — moving air

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