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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. shower — rain
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. file — a line of people
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bark — to shout
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. present — a gift
  18. shower — to wash
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. file — a document
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. file — a tool

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