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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. march — music
  4. season — of the year
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. march — the month
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. march — the month
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bark — to shout
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. foot — a measure
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. season — in sport

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