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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. land — ground
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. content — the amount
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bark — to shout
  12. land — a country
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mug — a face
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. land — to come down
  21. file — a document
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. content — happy
  24. ruler — for measuring

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