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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. clip — for paper
  6. drill — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bark — to shout
  11. can — to be able to
  12. drill — a practice
  13. can — a tin
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. craft — boats
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. craft — a skill
  19. clip — a video
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. clip — to cut
  23. drill — army training
  24. bay — a horse colour

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