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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bark — to shout
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. wound — an injury
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stock — shares
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mark — a trace
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kid — to tease
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. prune — to trim
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. kid — child
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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