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: mark · bulb · hide · arm · saw · bear · spring · can

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. can — a tin
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bear — the animal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. spring — of water
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. saw — the tool
  23. can — a tin
  24. bear — the animal

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