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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fork — in a road
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. prune — to trim
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bound — certain
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stock — shares
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. stock — goods
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bark — to shout

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