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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · snap · bulb · craft · squash · hide · wax · game

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. craft — a skill
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. squash — the sport
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bulb — for light
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. game — a match
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. squash — to crush
  20. wax — to grow
  21. game — wild animals
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. hide — animal skin

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