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

Word bank: ground · can · tube · wound · wax · safe · hide · bark

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. can — to be able to
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. tube — the underground
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. ground — a position
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. tube — a container
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. can — a tin
  23. bark — to shout
  24. can — a tin

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