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: bay · pit · ruler · fork · current · cap · bark · cold

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cold — an illness
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. current — happening now
  9. bark — to shout
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. current — electric
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cap — a hat
  21. current — of water
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cap — of ice

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