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: wave · wax · current · cue · mouse · cold · bulb · pop

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pop — soda
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pop — music
  10. cold — not warm
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. current — electric
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cold — an illness
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wax — in the ear

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