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: ball · bulb · plane · wax · clip · wake · stick · ground

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ground — a position
  5. wake — a trail
  6. clip — for paper
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. clip — a video
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. clip — to cut
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ground — crushed
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wax — to grow
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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