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 · wax · perch · bark · fork · bear · cabinet · present

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. present — the time now
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. present — a gift
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. present — there
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bark — to shout

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