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: calf · wax · tube · bay · date · fork · row · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wax — to grow
  3. row — to paddle
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. row — a line
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. fork — in a road
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. date — the fruit
  22. tube — a container
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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