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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. ball — a great time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bark — to shout
  6. board — a committee
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. date — the fruit
  21. root — the cause
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. root — of a word

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