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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. row — to paddle
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. can — a tin
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. cap — a hat
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. row — a line
  16. bark — to shout
  17. fork — in a road
  18. firm — a company
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. firm — steady
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. ruler — for measuring

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