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: degree · bulb · can · chair · rush · wax · charge · root

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bulb — for light
  4. degree — from a university
  5. can — a tin
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. degree — temperature
  9. root — the cause
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. chair — a leader
  13. can — a tin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. charge — a price
  18. degree — an amount
  19. rush — hurry
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. root — of a word
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. root — of a plant

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