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

Word bank: bulb · trunk · safe · straw · cabinet · mouse · wax · row

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. row — a line
  14. bulb — for light
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. row — to paddle
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — for light
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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