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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a friend
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bark — to shout
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. prune — to trim
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mate — a partner
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. plane — an aircraft

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