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 124 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rest — a break
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. present — the time now
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. club — for dancing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. present — a gift
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. present — there
  20. rest — what's left
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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