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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pop — soda
  3. club — a group
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. march — the month
  6. tube — the underground
  7. march — the month
  8. bank — for money
  9. key — in music
  10. club — for golf
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bank — of a river
  15. tube — a container
  16. key — the most important part
  17. club — for dancing
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pop — music
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bank — for money
  23. march — music
  24. bowl — a dish

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