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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bound — tied together
  4. court — for sport
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cap — of ice
  7. court — of a king
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. bark — to shout
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. court — of law
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. tube — a container
  23. cap — a lid
  24. tube — in a tire

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