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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. track — a path
  4. drill — a practice
  5. file — a line of people
  6. club — for dancing
  7. track — to keep track
  8. drill — army training
  9. track — a song
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. club — for golf
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bark — to shout
  14. file — a tool
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. file — a document
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. drill — the tool
  22. club — a group
  23. fork — to eat with
  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