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: rash · bulb · perch · march · roll · toast · pop · wax

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pop — music
  4. wax — to grow
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bulb — for light
  7. roll — a list
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — to visit
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. perch — the fish
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. toast — bread
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. march — music
  24. pop — soda

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