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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. prune — to trim
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. craft — a skill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mug — to rob
  21. craft — boats
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mug — a face
  24. prune — the fruit

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