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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. suit — to fit
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. tube — a container
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. tube — the underground
  9. club — for golf
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. club — a group
  16. present — the time now
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. foot — a measure
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fall — the season
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. mine — for digging
  24. fall — to drop

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