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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. ground — crushed
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ground — a position
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pitch — completely
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. saw — the tool
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bark — to shout
  24. chair — a leader

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