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: mine · fan · wax · season · ruler · toast · bulb · pop

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bulb — for light
  9. season — of the year
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pop — to visit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pop — music
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pop — soda
  22. season — in sport
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. toast — bread

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