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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. club — for golf
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. club — for dancing
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. club — a group
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. scale — in music
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — child
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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