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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. firm — a company
  3. net — for catching
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. snap — to click
  6. firm — decided
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. firm — steady
  9. stock — goods
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stock — shares
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. net — in sport
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. net — after costs
  23. wax — to grow
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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