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: charge · fork · nail · pop · rush · chest · wax · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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 — of a plant
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. chest — of your body
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. wax — to grow
  12. pop — soda
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chest — a box
  18. fork — in a road
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. charge — a price
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pop — music
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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