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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. tear — from crying
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. chip — to eat
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chip — for betting
  13. tear — from crying
  14. ball — a dance
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bark — to shout
  24. mark — a grade

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