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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. can — a tin
  6. club — for dancing
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. row — a line
  11. bark — to shout
  12. content — the amount
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pit — in a race
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pit — a hole
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. plane — a tool
  19. content — happy
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. can — to be able to

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