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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. object — a thing
  4. bark — to shout
  5. last — final
  6. object — an aim
  7. chip — for betting
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — to handle
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. object — to protest
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. last — to go on
  20. drill — a practice
  21. last — finally
  22. drill — army training
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. drill — the tool

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