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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rash — a series
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lean — thin
  11. season — of the year
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. season — in sport
  24. saw — the tool

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