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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. root — of a word
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. net — for catching
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. net — in sport
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. root — the cause
  11. lie — to recline
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. squash — to crush
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. squash — the sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bark — to shout

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