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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. scale — in music
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rash — a series
  9. drill — a practice
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. drill — army training
  18. fall — the season
  19. drill — the tool
  20. rash — hasty
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bark — to shout
  24. cabinet — ministers

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