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: cap · lie · bulb · rash · wax · bass · pound · game

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bass — the fish
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. game — a match
  6. rash — a series
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pound — a weight
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bulb — for light
  21. game — wild animals
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bass — low music
  24. cap — a hat

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