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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. degree — temperature
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. can — a tin
  9. prune — to trim
  10. degree — an amount
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. can — to be able to
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chair — a leader
  18. degree — from a university
  19. board — to get on
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. board — a committee

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