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: hide · ball · bulb · present · kid · wax · mark · bay

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bulb — for light
  7. kid — child
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. present — there
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. kid — to tease
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. present — a gift
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wax — to grow

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