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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bark — to shout
  7. row — a line
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rash — a series
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rule — government
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. craft — boats
  24. rule — a law

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