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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bark — to shout
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lean — to bend
  9. spring — the season
  10. stock — goods
  11. lean — thin
  12. spring — a coil
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. clip — a video
  15. bank — for money
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. firm — a company
  18. clip — for paper
  19. craft — boats
  20. firm — decided
  21. clip — to cut
  22. firm — steady
  23. spring — of water
  24. stock — shares

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