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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. club — for dancing
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. key — the most important part
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stock — goods
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pop — music
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stock — shares
  14. club — for golf
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bark — to shout
  17. roll — a list
  18. club — a group
  19. pop — soda
  20. key — in music
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. key — for a lock

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