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 120 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: cap · pound · foot · bore · game · bear · bay · wax

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. game — a match
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pound — a weight
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. cap — of ice
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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