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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bark — to shout
  3. tube — the underground
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. staff — employees
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. kick — in football
  15. staff — employees
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rock — music
  18. tube — a container
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. kick — a thrill

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