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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. last — to go on
  12. ground — the earth
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ground — a position
  17. last — finally
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. last — final
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — to shout
  23. tube — a container
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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