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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pound — a weight
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wax — to grow
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rock — music
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wax — for sculpting

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