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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bulb — for light
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — a gift
  5. prune — to trim
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pitch — completely
  13. present — there
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. calf — of the leg

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