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

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mine — for digging
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. tube — a container
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. tear — from crying
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bowl — a football final

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