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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. snap — to click
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bark — to shout
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. club — a group
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mark — a trace
  24. temple — side of the head

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