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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. present — a gift
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. season — in sport
  11. present — there
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. season — of the year
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. deal — to handle
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. present — the time now
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. racket — for tennis

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