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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pop — soda
  6. object — an aim
  7. pop — music
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pit — in a race
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. ground — crushed
  12. object — a thing
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. object — to protest
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. ground — a position
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. ground — the earth
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pit — a hole
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bark — to shout

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