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: track · rock · fan · craft · kid · bulb · stick · wax

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. craft — boats
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rock — music
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. track — to keep track
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. kid — child

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