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

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ball — a dance
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. land — to come down
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ball — a great time
  15. land — ground
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wax — to grow
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. land — a country
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. leaves — to go away
  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