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: fall · suit · bark · degree · leaves · wake · bulb · hand

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. suit — in cards
  11. hand — in cards
  12. wake — a trail
  13. hand — help
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. degree — temperature
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bulb — for light
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bulb — for light
  23. degree — from a university
  24. fall — the season

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