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: plane · stick · bay · date · bulb · charge · pop · wax

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. charge — in control
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. plane — a tool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. pop — soda
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pop — music
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pop — to visit
  20. date — the fruit
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wax — to grow
  24. plane — an aircraft

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