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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. current — electric
  5. bear — the animal
  6. scale — in music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bark — to shout
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. current — of water
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. scale — size or range
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. current — happening now
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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