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: rush · mark · shower · bulb · tear · wax · rest · dip

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. shower — rain
  10. wax — to grow
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — to rip
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rest — a break
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. shower — to wash
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rush — hurry

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