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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bark — to shout
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cap — of ice
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cap — a lid
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. dip — to sink
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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