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 116 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: key · cap · bulb · fan · wax · chip · fall · mouse

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — in music
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cap — of ice
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cap — a hat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fall — the season
  18. cap — a lid
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bulb — for light

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