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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bark — to shout
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. court — of a king
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. court — of law
  24. court — for sport

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