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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. present — there
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bark — to shout
  9. craft — a skill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. present — the time now
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. fine — all right
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. present — a gift
  24. craft — boats

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