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: object · wax · bulb · bound · pop · mark · wind · bay

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. object — to protest
  7. pop — soda
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — a thing
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pop — music
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bound — certain
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pop — to visit

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