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: foot · roll · charge · file · wax · bulb · sharp · ball

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bulb — for light
  3. file — a line of people
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. charge — a price
  7. file — a document
  8. roll — a list
  9. ball — a great time
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. roll — a cake
  16. file — a tool
  17. ball — a dance
  18. charge — electricity
  19. foot — a measure
  20. sharp — clever
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. charge — in control

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