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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. object — a thing
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. object — an aim
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cell — in biology
  8. kick — in football
  9. fine — all right
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cell — a phone
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pop — soda
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mate — to breed
  16. object — to protest
  17. mate — a partner
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. drill — army training

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