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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — a coil
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. track — a song
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. spring — of water
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. deal — to handle
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. track — a path
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wake — a trail
  21. charge — a price
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wake — before a funeral

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