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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. staff — employees
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. club — for golf
  8. tear — from crying
  9. current — electric
  10. club — for dancing
  11. staff — employees
  12. club — a group
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. tear — to rip
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. board — to get on
  20. tear — from crying
  21. board — a committee
  22. bark — to shout
  23. staff — a stick
  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