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: mug · key · bat · can · wax · wind · march · bulb

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. march — the month
  6. can — a tin
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mug — a face
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bat — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wind — moving air

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