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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bass — low music
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bark — to shout
  6. snap — to click
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chair — a leader
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bass — the fish
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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