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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. net — for catching
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. bark — to shout
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. press — newspapers
  10. net — after costs
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. root — the cause
  14. net — in sport
  15. wax — to grow
  16. root — of a word
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. march — the month
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fan — a supporter

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