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 · march · bay · kid · current · toast · bulb · rash

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. wax — to grow
  3. kid — child
  4. march — the month
  5. kid — to tease
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bulb — for light
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bay — a horse colour

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