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 116 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: bound · row · mouse · spell · ruler · stick · bark · dip

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bark — to shout
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bound — certain
  7. spell — magic
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bound — tied together
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. row — a line
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bound — obliged
  22. spell — letters
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mouse — the animal

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