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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. degree — from a university
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. pitch — completely
  11. board — a committee
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. board — to get on
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. vault — a safe
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — to shout
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — temperature
  21. swing — in golf
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. calf — of the leg

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