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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. charge — in control
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mark — a grade
  8. staff — employees
  9. scale — in music
  10. charge — a price
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. scale — size or range
  14. mark — a trace
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spell — letters
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — magic
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bark — of a tree

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