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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. key — for a lock
  4. season — in sport
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ball — a dance
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. craft — a skill
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — a list
  16. bark — to shout
  17. season — of the year
  18. key — the most important part
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. prune — to trim
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. key — in music

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