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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. file — a document
  5. club — for golf
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bark — to shout
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stock — goods
  11. file — a line of people
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. file — a tool
  16. club — for dancing
  17. stock — shares
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. prune — to trim
  20. club — a group
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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