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 120 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. drill — a practice
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. plane — a tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pitch — completely
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. band — a ring
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. band — a music group
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. drill — the tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mark — to pay attention

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