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: wax · club · bulb · cue · shower · bore · mark · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mark — a grade
  6. shower — rain
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. club — for dancing
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cue — a hint
  12. club — a group
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. club — for golf
  15. bulb — for light
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bore — to drill
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mark — to pay attention

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