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: spring · foot · bark · nail · racket · season · stand · bulb

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bulb — for light
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stand — to bear
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. foot — a measure
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. season — of the year
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — the season
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bulb — for light
  22. season — in sport
  23. spring — of water
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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