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 124 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — army training
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. drill — a practice

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