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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ground — crushed
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bass — low music
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bark — to shout
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ground — a position
  16. charge — in control
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stand — to bear
  20. charge — a price
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ground — the earth
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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