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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. shower — rain
  7. present — there
  8. root — of a word
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — to shout
  14. shower — to wash
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. root — of a plant
  19. present — the time now
  20. scale — in music
  21. bound — certain
  22. present — a gift
  23. root — the cause
  24. bound — obliged

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