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 124 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. fork — in a road
  6. hand — help
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rock — music
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — in cards
  17. craft — boats
  18. bass — low music
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. craft — a handicraft

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