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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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 — a dog's sound
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bark — to shout
  9. drill — the tool
  10. chest — of your body
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. object — a thing
  14. drill — army training
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. chest — a box
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. object — to protest
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. object — an aim
  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