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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. perch — the fish
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — of a word
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. root — the cause
  18. staff — a stick
  19. club — a group
  20. bark — to shout
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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