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 120 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. row — a line
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. object — an aim
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. spell — magic
  12. object — a thing
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. object — to protest
  19. row — to paddle
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. spell — letters
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fan — to cool the air

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