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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. shower — to wash
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. band — a music group
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. can — a tin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — rain
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. can — a tin
  18. rock — music
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. band — a ring
  24. snap — to click

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