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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  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. bark — to shout
  2. pass — a permit
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. march — the month
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. march — the month
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. straw — a straw man
  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