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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. firm — a company
  4. roll — a list
  5. court — of a king
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. court — for sport
  8. press — newspapers
  9. court — of law
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. land — a country
  18. bark — to shout
  19. roll — a cake
  20. firm — decided
  21. file — a document
  22. firm — steady
  23. press — to push
  24. fine — all right

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