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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bark — to shout
  7. land — a country
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. land — to come down
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. land — ground
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bore — to tire

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