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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wound — an injury
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bank — for money
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. toast — bread
  12. wound — an injury
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bark — to shout
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bank — of a river
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bank — for money
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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