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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. can — a tin
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pop — music
  10. can — a tin
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pop — soda
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chest — a box
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bank — for money
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bank — for money

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