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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. pound — a weight
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. object — an aim
  9. wake — a trail
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mug — a face
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — to shout

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