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: ball · bulb · press · cell · fan · mark · wax · can

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bulb — for light
  9. press — a publisher
  10. cell — a phone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mark — a trace
  13. can — a tin
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. press — to push
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. wax — to grow
  24. can — to be able to

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