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: season · cabinet · pound · wax · safe · mark · bear · bore

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bore — to tire
  3. wax — to grow
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pound — a weight
  14. season — of the year
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. season — in sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bear — the animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wax — for sculpting

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