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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. spring — a coil
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. current — electric
  7. prune — to trim
  8. board — a committee
  9. spring — the season
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. track — to keep track
  14. current — of water
  15. spring — of water
  16. lean — thin
  17. current — happening now
  18. lean — to bend
  19. track — a path
  20. board — to get on
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. track — a song
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. prune — to trim

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