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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. land — ground
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rule — government
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. object — a thing
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rule — a law
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. land — to come down
  14. staff — employees
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. object — to protest
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. object — an aim
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. staff — employees
  24. land — a country

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