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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cue — for pool
  4. field — farmland
  5. prune — to trim
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. suit — in cards
  14. row — to paddle
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cue — a signal
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. vault — a safe
  19. cue — a hint
  20. row — a line
  21. field — for sport
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. field — a subject
  24. prune — to trim

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