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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. current — of water
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rule — a law
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. court — of a king
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bark — to shout
  19. press — to push
  20. current — happening now
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. press — newspapers
  23. current — electric
  24. object — an aim

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