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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rule — a law
  4. court — for sport
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. craft — a skill
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. court — of law
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. craft — boats
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. rule — government
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bark — to shout
  23. branch — a division
  24. court — of a king

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