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: row · field · can · bulb · ball · lean · hide · bark

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. field — farmland
  3. row — to paddle
  4. can — a tin
  5. lean — thin
  6. can — a tin
  7. bark — to shout
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bulb — for light
  13. field — a subject
  14. ball — a great time
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. field — for sport
  22. row — a line
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. row — a quarrel

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