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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. key — for a lock
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bank — for money
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rock — music
  9. bark — to shout
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. row — a line
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. key — the most important part
  20. present — the time now
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. key — in music

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