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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. season — in sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bound — certain
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — obliged
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wax — to grow
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bound — tied together
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. bark — to shout

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