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: cold · stand · fork · wax · bay · bulb · root · perch

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bulb — for light
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. root — the cause
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. root — of a word
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cold — not warm
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. root — of a plant
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cold — an illness
  24. stand — for spectators

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