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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. capital — a city
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mark — a trace
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mark — a grade
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. row — a line
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. capital — money
  23. pass — a permit
  24. row — a quarrel

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