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 116 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bass — the fish
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bark — to shout
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lean — to bend
  13. current — electric
  14. ball — a great time
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rule — a law
  17. lean — thin
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. bass — low music
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. ball — a dance

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