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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. tube — a container
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. kick — in football
  14. drill — army training
  15. wake — a trail
  16. tube — the underground
  17. present — a gift
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wave — of the sea

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