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: bulb · foot · bark · bore · wax · bowl · mark · rock

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rock — music
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. wax — for sculpting

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