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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. perch — the fish
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — money
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. clip — for paper
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. clip — to cut
  14. present — the time now
  15. bark — to shout
  16. capital — a city
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. clip — a video
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. scale — in music
  24. safe — out of danger

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