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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. drill — army training
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. hand — help
  15. chip — to eat
  16. craft — boats
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. drill — a practice
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. hand — in cards
  22. drill — the tool
  23. craft — a skill
  24. chip — for betting

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