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: kid · hide · season · wave · can · present · bear · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. season — in sport
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bear — the animal
  6. present — a gift
  7. can — a tin
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. can — to be able to
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. present — there
  13. bulb — for light
  14. kid — child
  15. can — a tin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. kid — to tease
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. present — the time now
  23. bear — the animal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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