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 116 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: ruler · field · fan · bulb · wax · mark · pound · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. field — farmland
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. field — a subject
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pound — a weight
  20. swing — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mark — a trace
  23. field — for sport
  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