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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. cold — not warm
  3. fine — high quality
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. ball — a great time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fine — all right
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bark — to shout
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. board — to get on
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cold — an illness

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