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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. capital — a city
  5. current — electric
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. capital — money
  8. current — of water
  9. tear — from crying
  10. firm — steady
  11. bark — to shout
  12. tear — to rip
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. tear — from crying
  15. current — happening now
  16. spell — letters
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a committee
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. firm — a company
  21. spell — a short time
  22. board — to get on
  23. firm — decided
  24. spell — magic

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