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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. march — the month
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. key — in music
  10. foot — a measure
  11. key — for a lock
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. date — the fruit
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — the season
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. march — music

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