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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bark — to shout
  5. wax — to grow
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mug — a cup
  12. firm — steady
  13. fall — the season
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. mug — to rob
  16. firm — a company
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. stock — shares
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mug — a face
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stock — goods
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. firm — decided

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