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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rule — a law
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. spring — of water
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rule — government
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fine — all right
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — to shout
  21. spring — the season
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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