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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. stock — goods
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. track — a path
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stock — shares
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mug — a cup
  15. track — a song
  16. mug — a face
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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