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: ruler · spring · rock · suit · wax · pitch · staff · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. staff — employees
  4. wax — to grow
  5. spring — the season
  6. bark — to shout
  7. suit — clothes
  8. staff — employees
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. spring — of water
  13. pitch — completely
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. rock — music
  24. ruler — for measuring

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