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

Word bank: bark · bank · degree · press · staff · fine

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. staff — a stick
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bank — for money
  10. staff — employees
  11. press — to push
  12. degree — an amount
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bank — for money
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bank — of a river
  17. staff — employees
  18. degree — from a university

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