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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — in cards
  4. firm — a company
  5. current — happening now
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. chest — of your body
  11. file — a document
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bark — to shout
  14. file — a tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. file — a line of people
  18. firm — steady
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. current — electric
  21. firm — decided
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. current — of water

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