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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. object — to protest
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kick — in football
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bark — to shout
  7. snap — to click
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. object — an aim
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. spell — letters
  16. can — to be able to
  17. spell — a short time
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. object — a thing
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. kick — a thrill

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