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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bark — to shout
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bound — tied together
  9. cue — for pool
  10. march — music
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. march — the month
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. march — the month
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bound — certain
  21. foot — a measure
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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