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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. net — in sport
  5. board — to get on
  6. cue — for pool
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. suit — clothes
  10. board — a committee
  11. cue — a hint
  12. content — happy
  13. suit — in cards
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. net — for catching
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — a signal
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. net — after costs
  22. bark — to shout
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. suit — to fit

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