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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. root — the cause
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. clip — a video
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bank — for money
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bark — to shout
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. root — of a word
  22. mine — for digging
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. root — of a plant

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