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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. clip — to cut
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. sharp — clever
  10. stock — shares
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — a trace
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stock — goods
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. clip — a video
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bark — of a tree

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