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: present · pound · foot · bulb · bark · snap · season · toast

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. toast — bread
  3. present — the time now
  4. bulb — for light
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bulb — for light
  10. present — there
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. present — a gift
  13. pound — a weight
  14. season — of the year
  15. bark — to shout
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. foot — a measure
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. snap — to click
  24. season — in sport

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