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 116 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. board — a committee
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bark — to shout
  7. ground — crushed
  8. board — to get on
  9. fine — high quality
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. ground — a position
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fine — all right
  24. trunk — 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