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: hand · pass · stick · perch · land · bulb · wax · calf

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. wax — to grow
  8. land — ground
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bulb — for light
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — the fish

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