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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. field — for sport
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. field — farmland
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wax — to grow
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. field — a subject
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bulb — for light
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bear — the animal
  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