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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bank — for money
  5. mark — a trace
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kick — in football
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bank — for money
  14. march — music
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. march — the month
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. march — the month
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bark — of a tree

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