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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. rock — music
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pass — a permit
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. shower — rain
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hand — in cards
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rock — a stone
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bark — to shout
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. hand — help
  24. safe — a strongbox

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