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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bark — to shout
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. season — in sport
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. perch — the fish
  12. tube — the underground
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. season — of the year
  18. board — a committee
  19. tube — a container
  20. snap — to click
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ruler — for measuring

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