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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bark — to shout
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rock — a stone
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bore — to tire
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bore — gave birth

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