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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. can — a tin
  3. saw — the tool
  4. kid — child
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — to get on
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. can — to be able to
  12. board — a committee
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cell — in biology
  16. can — a tin
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cell — a phone
  24. board — a flat piece

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