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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wound — an injury
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pit — a hole
  6. chip — for betting
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wind — moving air
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — a cake
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wind — moving air
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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