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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. can — a tin
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — for golf
  5. press — to push
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bark — to shout
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fine — all right
  15. club — a group
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fine — high quality
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bank — for money
  24. fine — a penalty

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