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 120 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: trunk · bulb · scale · coach · chip · wax · lean · spell

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. scale — size or range
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. spell — magic
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. scale — in music
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. spell — a short time
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. spell — letters
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. lean — to bend
  23. chip — to eat
  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