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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. board — to get on
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lean — to bend
  8. board — a committee
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. lean — thin
  11. squash — to crush
  12. press — a publisher
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. fork — in a road
  15. craft — a skill
  16. press — newspapers
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. craft — boats
  19. press — to push
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bark — to shout
  23. squash — the sport
  24. fine — a penalty

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