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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. perch — the fish
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. present — a gift
  10. current — of water
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rest — a break
  16. sharp — clever
  17. current — happening now
  18. present — there
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. current — electric
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bark — to shout
  23. prune — to trim
  24. present — the time now

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