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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pop — to visit
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rest — what's left
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pop — music
  10. race — the arms race
  11. root — of a word
  12. board — to get on
  13. race — humankind
  14. pop — soda
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. rest — a break
  18. bark — to shout
  19. sharp — clever
  20. race — a contest
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. sharp — exactly

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