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

Word bank: wake · bark · tube · mark · pass · tear · prune · hide

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mark — a grade
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wake — a trail
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tube — a container
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. tear — to rip
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tear — from crying
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bark — to shout
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pass — a permit

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