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 · bulb · bark · foot · swing · ground · bowl · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ground — the earth
  7. swing — in golf
  8. spring — of water
  9. swing — music
  10. spell — letters
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. spring — the season
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bark — to shout
  17. spring — a coil
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ground — a position
  20. spell — magic
  21. foot — a measure
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bulb — for light

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