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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ground — a position
  4. tube — a container
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tear — from crying
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bark — to shout
  9. tear — from crying
  10. key — the most important part
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. key — in music
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tear — to rip
  18. tube — the underground
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ground — the earth
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ground — crushed

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