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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bark — to shout
  4. kick — in football
  5. mate — to breed
  6. staff — employees
  7. mate — a friend
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. hand — help
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rock — music
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fork — in a road
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rock — a stone
  24. staff — employees

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