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: mouse · wax · pop · stock · date · bulb · lean · clip

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stock — shares
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — a video
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pop — to visit
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lean — thin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wax — to grow
  16. clip — to cut
  17. stock — goods
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — soda
  24. mouse — the animal

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