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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stem — to come from
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. race — a contest
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. content — the amount
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. race — humankind
  15. bore — to drill
  16. content — happy
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. race — the arms race
  20. press — to push
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bark — to shout
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stem — a stem cell

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