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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bore — to tire
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stem — to come from
  13. clip — a video
  14. cell — a phone
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — to cut
  17. charge — a price
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. charge — in control
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stem — of a plant

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