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 112 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · staff · ruler · bark · fork · bat

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — in a road
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. staff — employees
  18. bat — the animal

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