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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. key — in music
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. capital — a city
  8. firm — steady
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. firm — a company
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. firm — decided
  21. chip — for betting
  22. capital — money
  23. bark — to shout
  24. key — the most important part

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