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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pit — in a race
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. present — a gift
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stock — shares
  7. present — there
  8. rest — a break
  9. stock — goods
  10. board — to get on
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pit — a hole
  17. present — the time now
  18. board — a committee
  19. rest — what's left
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rest — what's left
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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