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: wax · kick · ruler · fan · bulb · squash · band · current

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — in football
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. squash — the sport
  12. current — electric
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. wax — to grow
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bulb — for light
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a ring
  21. current — of water
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. current — happening now

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