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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bank — of a river
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bark — to shout
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. foot — a measure
  8. mark — a grade
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. roll — a cake
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bank — for money
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. roll — on a roll

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