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: mug · bark · wax · trunk · perch · bear · drill · lash

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bear — the animal
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. drill — the tool
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. drill — a practice
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mug — a face
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. drill — army training
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bark — to shout
  24. mug — a cup

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