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: bore · bay · season · roll · wax · net · hide · fork

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wax — to grow
  6. net — for catching
  7. season — of the year
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. net — after costs
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a list
  16. bore — to drill
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. roll — a cake
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. season — in sport
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. net — 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