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: dip · drill · ball · date · can · jam · bark · sharp

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. drill — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. ball — a great time
  13. dip — to sink
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. drill — a practice
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. drill — army training
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. sharp — clever
  23. date — the fruit
  24. sharp — with an edge

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