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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. court — of law
  4. wax — to grow
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. court — for sport
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. court — of a king
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bound — tied together
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bound — certain

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