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

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. rock — music
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ground — a position
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. ground — crushed
  12. present — a gift
  13. rock — a stone
  14. present — the time now
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. present — there
  18. bark — of a tree

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