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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rash — hasty
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. content — the amount
  13. fine — all right
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. content — happy
  16. rule — government
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. kick — in football
  20. rule — a law
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fine — high quality
  24. calf — a young animal

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