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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. scale — in music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bound — obliged
  5. can — a tin
  6. bound — certain
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. scale — size or range
  10. object — to protest
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bark — to shout
  14. object — a thing
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. object — an aim

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