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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rash — a series
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bound — obliged
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. suit — in cards
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bark — to shout
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. file — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bound — tied together
  15. plane — a tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. file — a document
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. suit — to fit
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rash — hasty
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bound — certain

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