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: suit · cue · bulb · season · rock · wax · clip · jam

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cue — for pool
  6. suit — clothes
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. clip — for paper
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. season — of the year
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cue — a hint
  24. clip — a video

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