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 116 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. land — a country
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. land — to come down
  5. object — to protest
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — to shout
  12. tube — the underground
  13. saw — the tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. rest — what's left
  18. saw — the tool
  19. land — ground
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rest — a break
  24. hide — animal skin

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