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: pound · stick · bore · kid · bulb · hide · leaves · wax

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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