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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. land — a country
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. cap — of ice
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bark — to shout
  13. cap — a lid
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. land — ground
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. lean — thin
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cap — a hat
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. land — to come down

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