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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. stock — shares
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. cell — in biology
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stock — goods
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rule — government
  22. cell — a phone
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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