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: rash · pop · vault · bark · fine · date · hide · bulb

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. date — the fruit
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pop — soda
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. fine — all right
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rash — a series
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pop — music
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. vault — a safe
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. fine — high quality

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