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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. chip — for betting
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bark — to shout
  5. staff — employees
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. track — a song
  13. track — a path
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. pound — a weight
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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