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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. season — in sport
  4. bank — for money
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. ground — a position
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. season — of the year
  18. bulb — for light
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. wax — to grow
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wake — a trail
  23. ground — the earth
  24. coach — a trainer

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