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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. club — for golf
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rash — a series
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. pitch — completely
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. rash — hasty
  23. club — a group
  24. bear — the animal

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