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 · degree · wake · lash · court · bulb · board · stand

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. degree — from a university
  3. degree — temperature
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wax — to grow
  9. court — for sport
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. court — of law
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. board — to get on
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. board — a committee
  21. degree — an amount
  22. court — of a king
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bulb — for light

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