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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. chair — a leader
  4. file — a document
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bulb — for light
  11. file — a line of people
  12. lean — thin
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. file — a tool
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. calf — a young animal

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