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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bound — certain
  3. rock — a stone
  4. file — a document
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bark — to shout
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rock — music
  14. tear — from crying
  15. march — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bound — obliged
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. file — a line of people
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bound — tied together

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